French visitors were in Northampton to cast an eye over the rollout of a property marking product on the Thorplands estate, in the east of the town.
Detectives, security and forensics people and SmartWater representatives from across the Channel were visiting Weston Favell police station to learn more about SmartWater and how it can be usefully deployed.
John Jones, a former Superintendent with Northamptonshire Police, now working for SmartWater, accompanied the delegation.
The visitors received a presentation on the deployment from Inspector Daemon Johnson, the sector inspector for east Northampton, and specialist Lucy Shelton.
The use of the product is central to the crime prevention strategy on the Throplands estate.
The delegation then were given a tour of Weston Favell’s custody suite and its ultra-violet light facility to demonstrate the deterrent value importance of checking detainees for the product.
Police in Northampton teamed up with borough council to roll out SmartWater on Thorplands.
Police community support officers, with the council’s neighbourhood wardens, distributed the kits which have been funded Northampton Community Safety Partnership.
Inspector Daemon Johnson, east sector inspector in Northampton, said: “SmartWater is a liquid forensic coding system which can be extremely useful to the police in helping to detect crime.
“It is also extremely useful as a deterrent and we are delighted to have the opportunity to showcase the practical benefits of SmartWater on the Thorplands estate in Northampton to our visitors from France.
“SmartWater is a clear fluid which can be applied to valuable property with a brush. Police use ultra-violet light to locate the solution, which cannot be seen in normal light.
“The forensic property marking system provides people’s valuables with an unprecedented degree of identification which, because it is so powerful, has been linked in concept to DNA profiling. It provides us with ownership details instantly.”
Each SmartWater brush stroke contains a forensic fingerprint unique to the user and their household.
