Police reveal roving eye
POLICE are wheeling out their latest weapon to cut crime this weekend, which is being piloted for the first time in the city....
POLICE are wheeling out their latest weapon to cut crime this weekend, which is being piloted for the first time in the city.
A bright yellow van fitted with mobile CCTV cameras is being used by officers from Little Park Street for the next two weeks.
Sgt Paul Dean, from the city centre sector, said it will be used as a high-profile deterrent with the aim of cutting street robberies and anti-social behaviour.
He said: ?It is a very overt way of telling people we are there. We are looking to use it at night-times, in time for the clubs turning out when we do get some problems in Spon Street, Corporation Street and the Burges.
?During the day we might look at using it in hot-spots where there have been some street robberies - it is going to be another tool to deter people from committing crime.?
The van has been bought through the force-wide Safer Streets initiative, which aims to cut street robberies, muggings and disorder problems.
Sgt Dean added: ?At the moment there is only one in the West Midlands area, but each police station is evaluating it to see if it does act as a deterrent and may be of benefit on a permanent basis.
The van is fitted with cameras to the rear and front, with a monitor on the dashboard. Officers can start the video tapes at the flick of a switch, and the footage may be submitted to court as evidence if any crime is committed.
They expect the van to be high-ly visible in the city centre this Friday and Saturday night, used in conjunction with the regular public order police van.
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