Shropshire crime chief backs 'virtual policing'
Shropshire's crime chief has backed a pilot 'virtual policing' scheme where victims could get a call on Skype rather than a knock at the door from an officer.
West Mercia Police commissioner Bill Longmore said he fully backs the use of technology to make it easier for people to communicate with the police.
He said a Skype scheme – where people engage in video calls over the internet – would be well suited to Shropshire because it would cut down on the time officers currently spend travelling between rural and remote locations.
Superintendent David McWilliam, of West Mercia Police, said there were no plans to implement the pilot currently taking place in Peterborough, but said he and colleagues would "watch with interest" to see how it works out.
The pilot, launched by Cambridgeshire police this week, will see people encouraged to call, Skype or visit the police station after reporting a crime, with home visits only being made "where necessary".
The move has been criticised by some as a "retrograde step", with former officers linking it to cuts to policing. Ex-chair of Dorset Police Federation, Clive Chamberlain, said the change was ushering in an era of "virtual policing".
But Mr Longmore said: "I fully support any move to use technology so people find it easier to communicate directly with the police. We will be looking at all available technologies to see how we can best use them.
"Our vision is that residents will actually be able to see the person taking their call through use of video links. Obviously technology cannot totally replace officers visiting people but it does allow them to use their time more efficiently and respond to calls proportionately while still being visible to the public. We will be watching what happens on this trial with interest."
Dyfed-Powys Police and crime commissioner Christopher Salmon said he was also looking forward to seeing the results of the pilot scheme.
