L-O L-O L-O - texting to aid police

22 August 2005 21:18

You may tut when that annoying bleeping noise goes off as you're travelling on the train, enjoying a drink in a quiet country pub or when you're simply trying to grab five minutes' kip at home.

Love them or loathe them, text messages have become a part of our daily lives.

But in a pioneering scheme in East Anglia, they are set to become the latest weapon in the fight against crime.

The £150,000 Home Office-funded pilot scheme Police Direct - the country's first official crime-fighting initiative to use mobile phone texts and e-mails - was launched today.

It is capable of sending instant messages about crimes to thousands of people every day, providing up-to-the-minute information about crime and policing, and crime reduction advice.

It can even target its audience, so if a crime takes place on one road, only registered neighbours would receive the appeal for help to catch the criminal - giving them a timely warning to remain vigilant.

If something happens in a pubs or club, younger people who may have been in the area can be called on to help.

Suffolk police are running the year-long pilot scheme, which uses the same technology employed by the Metropolitan Police to make appeals for information following the London bombings on July 7.

The system, which for now only covers St Edmundsbury, Forest Heath and Mid Suffolk area, is free to use and will be phased in across the rest of the county. It will then be rolled out to other forces nationwide.

For elderly people with technology phobias or without a mobile phone or computer of their own, their children, grandchildren or neighbours can sign up and pass on the information.

Chief Supt Mick Green, area commander based in Bury St Edmunds, said the Government saw the opportunity to use these methods of communication as a daily policing tool.

“The idea is that the system provides a very flexible way of contacting thousands of people very quickly,” he said. “We are able to contact 3000 people in one minutes and 200,000 people in an hour using text messaging, email and the telephone system (using electronic speaking messages).”

Chief Supt Green said it is a vital way of getting information straight to people's homes.

He added: “In terms of a distraction burglary, where mostly vulnerable people are targeted, instead of hoping one of our officers might see something in the next hour, we can flash this message out and any members of the public can get that message instantly and either be on their guard or contact us if they have seen something.

“The flexibility of the system means we can aim at age groups. If we have people registered who are regular users of Bury's night clubs and there is a stabbing, we can get that message out to ask if people have seen anything.”

The system gives police more opportunities to get information straight away and can be used in slower investigative work, he said.

Eventually people will be able to send picture messages or send in films of crimes, although police stressed they expect someone to call 999 if they witness a crime.

“It is a substantial tool in our tool box in the fight against crime,” said Chief Supt Green.

It will be staffed by project leader, Sgt Bob Chapman, and two part-time people.

Sgt Chapman said: “We registered 500 people in developing the system. When people register on the internet, a number of details are requested. None are compulsory apart from where you live and how you want to be contacted. The more information we get, the more specific we can be in the information we send.”

Norfolk Police spokesman Simon Morgan said: “Anything to do with improving our links with the public using the latest technology available is of interest to us. We will be watching this exciting initiative with interest.”

To register, log on to www. suffolk.police.uk or for more information contact 01284 774068.

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