How the City of Pickering Increased Incident Reporting by 280% with Resolver

• Siloed information led to fragmented incident management.
• Manual processes: Time-consuming manual work, limited data analysis capabilities, and inconsistent reporting practices.
• Limited visibility into security incidents and trends hindered effective resource allocation.
• Barriers to incident reporting contributed to delayed response times.

Upon joining the City of Pickering as Corporate Security Specialist, Michael Cain quickly discovered that different departments worked independently, resulting in fragmented incident information management and a lack of comprehensive insights. “We were operating in silos, and there wasn’t a centralized approach to managing security incidents,” Cain elaborated.

This fragmented approach hindered the city’s ability to obtain a holistic view of security incidents across its various sectors. Reliance on manual processes also caused inefficiencies, limited data analysis capabilities, and inconsistent reporting practices. “Before Resolver, people lived and worked in Excel spreadsheets, manually adding data and trying to create their own formulas and pivot charts to try and make something out of the mishmash of data that would get pulled in,” Cain described. “It was a very time-consuming process.”

Without a unified system, the city grappled with limited visibility into security incidents and trends, making it challenging to identify patterns, allocate resources effectively, and communicate the overall security posture to senior management and stakeholders. Additionally, the existing reporting process involved cumbersome paperwork and lacked user-friendly options, leading to low incident reporting rates and delayed response times.

Recognizing the need for a comprehensive security program, Cain embarked on a mission to transform the City of Pickering’s security landscape. “We wanted to leverage technology to transform how we engage with our citizens and deliver services efficiently,” Cain explains. “We needed to address legacy technology issues, improve citizen participation, and streamline service processes.”

Cain grappled with a burning question, “Is there an easy way where I can maybe do that data entry once and then be able — just using a few simple tools — to have it give me meaningful data back?” Cain designed his search around their specific needs, like the ability to look for trends through accessing well-organized information and a way to more easily communicate key findings and issues to senior management. “People embrace Resolver and use it to their advantage, which is fantastic because that’s exactly what we want it to do.”

After careful evaluation, Cain and his team selected Resolver as the solution of choice. Resolver’s incident management software provided a comprehensive, user-friendly platform accessible to all departments for streamlined incident reporting, categorization, and centralized incident management. This enhanced visibility empowered Cain to make informed decisions, proactively address emerging security challenges, and improve response times to ensure the safety of Pickering’s citizens.

Centralized Incident Management: “Resolver has transformed how we approach incident management,” Cain enthuses. The software’s simple portal streamlined incident reporting and categorization, enabling effective investigation and follow-up. By centralizing incident data, the City of Pickering gained a comprehensive view of security incidents across departments, helping identify trends and prioritize fixes to promote citizen safety. “It all filters through to me, and I see every submission made,” says Cain. “Then I can categorize it, decide how important it is, and see where we have to do an investigation and follow-up.”

Improved Incident Response: The ease of Resolver’s incident reporting process has empowered citizens and staff to report incidents promptly, facilitating proactive engagement and faster responses, leading to a 280% increase in reported incidents. While the post-pandemic return of city camps might have influenced this number, Cain believes ease of reporting in Resolver was a key factor. “There’s very low friction for making reports.”

Time Savings and Efficiency: By automating data entry, analysis, and reporting processes, Resolver significantly reduced the administrative burden on Cain and his team. The system’s user-friendly features and streamlined workflows resulted in significant time savings. “Once you see how well Resolver works, you realize the cost-benefit it offers,” Cain shares enthusiastically. “I use it every day, and I estimate that it has saved me 5-10 hours weekly, taking what was 25% of my working hours down to 5%. The ease and efficiency of the platform pays for itself in the hours it saves me. So, from my perspective, it’s a worthwhile investment.”

Enhanced Visibility: With Resolver’s intuitive interface and robust reporting capabilities, Cain gained a macro-level view of security incidents. Seeing the full picture of incidents empowered him to identify patterns, implement mitigation strategies, and communicate key findings to senior management and stakeholders effectively. “I can see where things are happening in different areas. It’s become such a handy tool,” Cain explained.   The City of Pickering was able to address customer injuries in recreational facilities, incidents during camps, and other security concerns promptly, ensuring professional responses and effective liability management, providing an auditable trail of actions taken. Cain elaborated, “So, while we initially thought we were solving one or two problems with this software, it turns out we’re actually addressing three or four issues.”

Proving the Value of Security Programs: Resolver’s intuitive reporting system allowed Cain to present clean and visually appealing reports, influencing data-driven decision-making. The system saved significant preparation time for his annual report to the city council, showcasing the value of his security efforts. “It’s incredible,” Cain affirms. “My annual report to the city council used to take me hours to prepare. However, with Resolver, it only took me two hours.” Cain’s report holds immense significance as he presents to high-level individuals assessing the value of his security and public safety efforts. “I can’t even fathom the number of hours I’ve saved. Unlike complex systems, if I notice a mistake on a slide or an error in my presentation, I can fix it within minutes. It’s a user-friendly system that doesn’t require extensive training. Once you grasp the basics, you’re good to go.”

The implementation of Resolver’s incident management software has revolutionized the City of Pickering’s approach to security and incident response. By replacing fragmented systems with a centralized incident management platform, enhancing visibility, automating processes, and fostering proactive engagement, Michael Cain and his team have effectively addressed the challenges posed by rapid urban growth. “Resolver took me from a very laborious manual process of emails, phone calls, Excel spreadsheets, and manually putting information in to just having a portal that everybody uses. The information comes to me — I don’t have to chase it.”

The city has experienced a remarkable 280% increase in reported incidents, resulting in improved response times and enhanced citizen safety. This success story serves as a model for other municipalities, showcasing the power of Resolver’s Risk Intelligence technology in ensuring the well-being of communities in the face of urban development.