Paul's Pocket Sergeant app takes off

Paul Cooper is a former police officer and a multi-award-winning app developer. 

Paul's career in policing exposed him to frustrations that frontline officers often faced. In response, he developed Pocket Sergeant, an innovative mobile app that transformed access to legislation, procedures, and vital information, enabling officers to make smarter and faster decisions. 

Although Paul is a very successful entrepreneur, he was keen to scale up his business. Paul met Steph Campbell, Triage Self-Employment Adviser, at an event in Hartlepool and instantly felt a connection:

“Steph’s enthusiasm for my business stood out immediately—she was genuinely excited about the prospect of working with me,” said Paul. “The most valuable aspect of the support has been having someone who knew what they were doing – someone to challenge my thinking and hold me accountable. Steph has helped me step back, assess my business objectively, and make decisions with more confidence and speed,” said Paul. 

Steph commented, “It is fantastic to work with such an inspirational, knowledgeable and enthusiastic person like Paul. It has been a privilege to help him grow his business and support him through the Tees Valley Entrepreneurs programme.”

“Steph has been a great sounding board, giving me that gentle nudge when I’m at a crossroads. Instead of sitting on the fence, I now make big decisions with more confidence and speed, which has become a fundamental part of how I run my business,” said Paul.

To help scale up Pocket Sergeant, Paul and Steph discussed a new business model, moving away from a single download to a subscription model. This would help generate new revenue and enable Paul to build new functionality and brand new apps to enhance the user’s experience and improve upon public safety. “Steph’s guidance has been instrumental in refining my approach to strategy, particularly in terms of identifying opportunities and taking decisive action. Before, I would often sit on ideas for too long, but now I act on them with a clear plan,” said Paul.

Paul has recently launched NE Digital.co.uk, a business specialising in developing mobile applications and custom websites. Due to his success, many seek Paul’s advice and guidance so Paul decided to turn this into another entrepreneurial venture: “This new platform will allow me to take on these projects in a more structured way, expanding my business into new opportunities within the digital space.”

In addition to being a tech-entrepreneur, Paul is also most recently, an author with his book, “From Trauma to Triumph: The Pocket Sergeant” (published April 2025)*. 

“Paul’s entrepreneurial spirit shines through in everything he does. I am not sure where he finds the time, but he is an exciting individual and I wish him continued success. He is recognised within the business community and has recently won another Innovation Business Award from Tees Business, for his groundbreaking App called Misper**, which helps improve searches for missing people,” said Steph.

Summing up his experience, Paul concluded, “Triage gave me a fresh perspective on my business, helped me make decisions faster, and ultimately, pushed me to take action on my ideas.”

*https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trauma-Triumph-Pocket-Sergeant-Journey-ebook/dp/B0DY71JM6M

**Misper is a groundbreaking app designed to streamline and enhance the search for missing people in the UK, especially those with mental health conditions. By leveraging research trusted by emergency services, Misper guides users through coordinated efforts to locate missing persons more efficiently - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.misper&hl=en_GB