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Fife Police extend operational capability with new thermo-imaging equipment |
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Monday, 04 September 2006 |
A CCTV surveillance van operated by Fife Police has been upgraded with the latest thermo-imaging equipment, providing a major boost in the force’s operational capabilities.
Supplied and installed by Perth-based Scottish Communications, the sophisticated 360O pan and tilt zoom camera works by detecting body heat, greatly enhancing Fife Police’s crime detection ability by being able to locate people who are trying to conceal themselves.
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Providing good all round night vision, the system will also prove invaluable in locating missing persons and in search and rescue operations.
The £15,000 thermo-imaging system was imported from the USA under special licence by Scottish Communications, who have also taken over the maintenance and servicing contract for the Fife Police CCTV van.
Stuart Ward, Fife Police Architectural Liaison Officer, said: “This new equipment will play an important role in helping keep our communities safe. It will make a major contribution in crime detection and for locating missing persons.”
Paul Gibson, managing director of Scottish Communications said: “We are delighted to have helped Fife Police extend the operational capability of their CCTV van. This state-of-the-art thermo-imaging equipment is extremely versatile and could help save lives.”
The four-wheel drive Mercedes Sprinter Fife Police CCTV van is part of the Fife Community Safety Partnership and offers a variety of different operational and support roles. It has a total of nine cameras on board with all the images being digitally recorded.
The van, which has been in service for 15 months, has already been used in many police and council operations, including tackling environmental issues such as fly-tipping and dog fouling.
Successes include the detection of youths riding unlicensed and unregistered motorcycles and in combating anti-social behaviour such as vandalism.
In all cases the video evidence gathered by the mobile CCTV unit has proved central to the prosecution.
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