Security problems have become a major concern in most urban settlements across the globe. The use of technology can be incorporated into the security systems to enhance operational measures that have been deployed. The aim of this study was to examine the challenges stakeholders face in crime reporting and develop a mobile-based system that would support intelligence collection and real-time reporting. The study employed design science to develop the proposed system. Primary data was collected from one hundred members of the public and twenty-eight police officers serving within Buruburu police division, Nairobi County. The survey design used structured questionnaires which were administered to respondents independently, followed by developing a mobile-based application aimed at sealing the loopholes identified from the survey. Consequently, the application was tested for usability by both the public and police officers. The test was successful and all key operation tests had positive and acceptable outcomes. The survey indicated that, the current crime reporting method has numerous failure, which include late response to criminal cases, inaccuracy in documentation of acts, non-coordinate specific response by the police, longer duration for response, hence non resolving of issues raised by the public and human resource related issues such as bribes before the police can act on reported cases. The viability of the phone-based reporting was justified by the presence of more than half (85%) of the sampled population owning, and using smartphone which would support the application and more than 90% of police officers agreeing that mobile-based reporting would lead to efficiency in intelligence collection and solving crime.
