A new technology that allows police officers to view images on their digital radio sets is the latest tool in the fight against crime in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Having access to images on the street will help police officers locate missing or wanted people more quickly and identify suspects or drivers on the spot.

Hampshire Constabulary has become the second and largest police force in the UK to use the IMAGIN (Images Made Available to Groups or Individuals over Networks) technology.

Members of the public reporting a missing person, for example, will be asked to email a photograph to a dedicated email address. That image can then be made available within seconds to groups of officers in a specific area or across both counties. It is hoped people will soon be able to send images straight from their mobile phones.

Staff in the police control room at Netley will also be able to search existing databases such as the constabulary’s Record Management System and the DVLA driver database for appropriate images. 

The benefits are:

• Police officers will be able to spend more time on the streets – making the images available for them to view on their digital radios means they no longer have to return to the station to pick up a photograph or attend a briefing
• Missing people can be traced more quickly which has the potential to save lives
• Wanted people can be identified and tracked down more quickly and effectively
• Police officers will be better prepared when dealing with potentially dangerous situations or criminals as there can be no doubt about identity

Deputy Chief Constable Simon Cole said:

“This is a really good piece of technology that allows us to get pictures out quickly to officers and staff on patrol, especially in critical situations when every second counts.

“This could be a picture of a missing person or a person we want to arrest. A picture speaks a thousand words and is just so much more accurate than describing somebody.”

IMAGIN has been rolled across the constabulary during the last two months and has already produced major benefits in reducing crime and improving public safety. In more than 60 cases photographs of missing people have already been emailed to the police control room and assisted police officers with the search. 

DCC Cole continued:

“We have had a number of situations already where officers out on patrol have been given false details by individuals, and with the help of the picture that was made available to the officers within seconds it was not difficult for them to work out that the person in front of them didn’t look like the person whose name they were using.

“The costs of implementing this technology are minimal as we have already had the radio system in place. The benefits to the public as well as our officers, however, are significant. The ability to locate missing people or track down criminals more quickly will help us to provide an improved service to the public and continue to make Hampshire and the Isle of Wight a safe place to live and work.”