Dash Cam Reporting System

I have received the following response from the PCC after asking whether or not Cheshire Constabulary was going to implement a system whereby members of the public can send in dash-cam images to help with the reduction in road traffic violations and to reduce crime. Below is the response which may be of interest to AOL readers considering the very low key publicity this has received.

Cheshire has been running a Dashcam submission process via the Cheshire Constabulary Website (Quick links- 'Submit DASHCAM footage') through an online portal since May 2017. This 6 month pilot was based on learning from other Forces, including North Wales, and builds on the developments of the Force website, linking directly to the Police and Crime Plan priority ' 'Fit for the future'- as a streamlined, alternative process to the current reporting system that has built delay that impact on prosecution timelines.

Uncertain as to the public appetite it was set up to manage @250 submissions per calendar month using EGRESS a secure web forum platform. The initial set up costs for the platform was £6k. In addition the current system and processes require resources from Roads Policing (one member of staff for initial pilot) to assess and then process the submissions.

Initially the pilot had a 'soft launch' but has now been more widely advertised. Over the first 3 months there have been 203 submissions. Dashcam submissions are based on the public point of view and are therefore subjective. Of the 203 submissions 40 at this stage have been assessed by a roads policing officer as suitable for prosecution.

Most of these have been progressed by way of education through the driver improvement courses, albeit there has been 1 that has resulted in a summons for dangerous driving. The current Dashcam reporting has focused on road safety issues, where there is the ability in slower time to assess the
footage and within a 14 day period serve a notice of intended prosecution. The system is monitored daily and although it could accept crime based footage the current processes would not effectively support the more rapid response that may be required.

The Force is currently implementing a new Command and Control system 'SAAB Safe' that will be launched in the new year. Part of the functionality enables streaming of videos from the public through to the control room and to officers. Subject to the learning from the current pilot longer term it is anticipated this may be the future solution to receive and triage footage that can be used to identify and investigate crime as well as road safety footage, similar to and alongside telephone calls.

Kind regards,
Bob

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