West Midlands deputy police and crime commissioner Yvonne Mosquito on a new anti-bullying app As part of Hate Crime Awareness Week in October and straddling Anti-Bullying Week (16-20 November), a recording & reporting app has been launched as a free download for iPhone and Android, which has succeeded in reaching those parts of communities that other apps do not reach. The eyewitness app is the brainchild of civil rights activist Mahtab Khan who is blind / partially sighted from birth and was brought up in West London and now lives in Birmingham. Watch his story here:

Mahtab said:

Having experienced the horrendous effects of hate crime and bullying and assisted cases in a professional capacity as well as training housing and police officers, the need for clear evidence became obvious

The eyewitness app uses smartphone technology to location, date & time stamp incidents that are recorded through the phone cam and send them to the nearest police force or media - this can be done anonymously or by sharing contact details. Over 350 Birmingham cabbies have joined forces to download the free app on Google Play and the Appstore Ravinder Johal, from the Taxi Owners' Association in Birmingham, said:

Every day our drivers see all sorts of things. We want to help to make our city safer for everyone but drivers simply can't take a day out to fill in complex forms. eyewitness is ideal because of the speed and simplicity.

The Taxi Owners' Association will also be helping to improve eyewitness with feedback and comments. Mr Khan added:

The association's 350-plus tech-savvy drivers ferry around millions of passengers every year and are already Active Citizens. eyewitness makes it easy for them to report what they see to the police or the media quickly and without hassle. We're going to help by simplifying crime reporting in a way that's more suited to today's digital culture. We're encouraging all Active Citizens to use it to capture evidence and report it.

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Charlene Ellis[/caption] Beverly Thomas is the mother of Charlene Ellis who was killed in Birmingham in the 2003 new year's shootings. She said:

I found the eyewitness app absolutely fantastic! In 2003 when these 4 girls were gunned down in the streets of Birmingham this app would have played a big part when my daughter Charlene Ellis and her friend Letisha Shakespeare were killed. I feel this app could have cut down time delays in the investigation and also given the witnesses peace of mind. There are so many people affected by crime in our communities and I feel that this app will break down barriers when people hesitate to give evidence and confide in the police. It can also help to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour when people know that this app is so hands on and reports instantly.

Beverly Thomas is the mother of Charlene Ellis who was killed in Birmingham in the 2003 new year's shootings. At a time when smartphones and tablets are accepted as an integral part of day to day life, this app helps put policing into the pockets of people in our communities. I hope the app is a great success and that it contributes to policing in a positive manner. Yvonne Mosquito is West Midlands Deputy Police & Crime Commissioner You can download the free eyewitness app (available here) Google Play and the Appstore Website: www.eyewitnessapp.com Contact : info@eyewitnessapp.com