West Midlands Police are launching a new high-tech Viper (Video Identification Parade Electronic Recording) system to help combat street crime.
West Midlands Police are launching a new high-tech Viper (Video Identification Parade Electronic Recording) system to help combat street crime. The system, which should greatly increase the speed of the identification process, has been installed in the Little Park Street ID suite, the first in the West Midlands, with the Birmingham and Wolverhampton units coming on-line in July. Insp Barrie Thompson, who is based in the ID suite, said: ?The system consists of a recording studio in which the image of a suspect is captured. The way it works is that we access a database from which the suspect then selects a further eight images he wishes to be shown with. Once agreed, the information is sent to Wakefield where a video is compiled and sent back to us for showing to witnesses.? He said the existing process takes some two hours to complete but once the new technology settles down, it is anticipated the compilation tapes will be available for viewing within 40 minutes. Insp Thompson added: ?This video technology is another string to the police bow in addressing street crime. It will enable us to bring offenders more speedily to book, while supporting victims and witnesses in what can be an arduous process of identifying offenders.?
