Hertfordshire Constabulary trials spray technology in fly-tipping crackdown
Hertfordshire Constabulary is trialling using new spray technology to catch fly-tippers in the region.
Hertfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner confirmed that the force has received funding to trial using spray canisters to discover people offending in rural areas.
Police officers in Hertfordshire will also start using SelectaDNA Metallic Spray. This spray contains a unique DNA code which can be applied to waste or other material being deposited from a vehicle, creating a forensic link between the waste and the vehicle from which it was dumped.
Commissioner Jonathan Ash-Edwards’ office revealed that if the marked material is subsequently discovered at a fly-tipping site, officers can use the unique code to help trace it back to the vehicle involved, providing an additional investigative tool.
Money has been made available for use of 50 canisters and the constabulary will assess how effective the spray is.
The commissioner also highlighted how the force currently uses Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to identify criminals.
ANPR technology is used to rack movements across county borders and potentially prevent crimes before they happen.
Commissioner Ash-Edwards, who completed a rural crime patrol, was told that officers use a risk-grading system to prioritise potential incidents based on data received from ANPR machines.
Commissioner Ash-Edwards said: “Rural crime can have a significant impact on farmers, businesses and communities, and people living in our countryside should be confident that offences such as hare coursing and fly-tipping are being taken seriously.
“It was valuable to join our neighbourhood officers on patrol in North Herts and see first-hand both the challenges they face and the proactive work taking place to protect our countryside.
“Criminals don't respect county boundaries, which is why intelligence, technology and working across borders are so important in tackling rural crime.
“I also want to make sure police officers have the right tools for the job. That is why I have agreed funding to pilot SelectaDNA forensic marking sprays, giving officers another innovative way of deterring offending and potentially linking those responsible for fly-tipping directly to the evidence they leave behind.
“Whether through visible patrols, working closely with farmers, using ANPR to identify suspicious vehicles or investing in new technology, the message is clear: we are determined to protect our rural communities from crime".