Mobile Application for Citizen Engagement with Urban Patrols in Cajamarca

Joel Escalante Horna A.; Jesus Cacho Rojas R.; Martos R.M.; Anthony Arribasplata Palomino M. · Proceedings of the LACCEI international Multi-conference for Engineering, Education and Technology (2026) · DOI: 10.18687/laccei2026.1.1.1297

Resumen

This applied research evaluates the effect of a mobile application on citizen engagement with the Urban Patrols in Cajamarca using a pre-experimental design with pre-tests and post-tests, with a convenience sample of 60 participants (40 citizens and 20 patrol members). The application was developed using SCRUM, Android Studio, Kotlin, and Firebase, and includes geolocation, multimedia evidence, severity classification, real-time notifications, and report tracking. The results, statistically validated using a paired-samples t-test, show significant improvements: response time decreased from 45 to 15 minutes (67%), the response rate increased from 2.25 to 4.73 points, report completeness rose from 40% to 90%, and overall satisfaction increased from 2.25 to 4.67 points (on a 5-point scale), with high usability confirmed by the System Usability Scale (SUS). These findings confirm the positive effect of the tool on collaborative communication, reducing traditional barriers and strengthening community safety in contexts with limited resources, accepting the alternative hypothesis and demonstrating the value of citizen-centered digital solutions for organizations such as the Urban Patrols.

Instituciones: Universidad Privada del Norte