Geo-location identifier what3words is the latest integration into digital forensics software CSAS (Cell Site Analysis Suite).
Dividing the world into 57 trillion 3x3m squares, each with a unique three-word address, what3words gives identifiers to pinpoint locations, that could otherwise be only identified by a street address or wider descriptors.
Already utilised by police forces up and down the country, the addition of what3words functionality into CSAS streamlines communication before, during and after investigations.
Additional locational advantages
Joe Hoy, Product Lifestyle Director of CSAS and co-founder of Forensic Analytics, explains the benefits in addition to traditional coordinates:
“CSAS mapping has supported identification of map locations by lat/long, easting/northing and OS grid, and we’ve now added to this with the integration of what3words – a simple, transferable, global coordinate system.”
what3words addresses can be passed incredibly easily via voice, text or through existing digital systems, minimising the room for error and ensuring teams can retain the accuracy of the original incident location.
“We’ve seen an increase in the use of what3words by our partners’ service users,” continues Joe, “and want to ensure our software continues to be as up-to-date as possible, helping ease of information sharing during investigations.
“This text-based way of identifying locations also enables additional faster and more efficient communication between forces and end users of emergency services, to support potential confusing or incompatible national coordinate standards.”
Chris Sheldrick, who founded what3words in 2013, is keen to see more forces, organisations and people use the app.
“We’re pleased to see a leading technology provider enable what3words’ further integration across multiple forces.
Already used by global NGOs and emergency services in the UK, US, Canada and Australia, we’ve seen how precise what3words addresses are helping services to find, share and coordinate locations more efficiently, crucially, saving lives.”
Emergency service use
what3words is increasingly promoted by the emergency services as a simple way for callers to identify their location.
Police, Fire and Ambulance services can also equip teams and officers with the what3words app on their personal devices. The app works offline, is available in over 47 languages and allows people to search and navigate directly to a what3words address easily.
Recent UK news stories include what3words helping save people from flooded rivers, rescue a motorist trapped in her car, and locate unexploded ordnance on a beach
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