PSNI using dash-cams in cars for first time

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is using dash-cams in police vehicles for the first time.

Ten cars in the Newry, Mourne and Down policing district have been equipped with the devices as part of a pilot scheme.

The scheme is running throughout December in response to the high number of police vehicle-ramming incidents across Northern Ireland.

More than 100 police cars have been rammed this year, with 17 of them happening in the Newry, Mourne and Down area.

Since January of this year more than 20 PSNI vehicles have been removed from service across Northern Ireland because they needed repairs.

That has cost the force about £140,000.

District commander for Newry, Mourne and Down, Supt Lynne Corbett, said: "The deliberate ramming of police vehicles constitutes a serious and continuing threat to our frontline operational capability."

Some police land rovers are fitted with roof mounted cameras and the footage can be used as evidence in investigations and court proceedings.

However, police vehicles are not currently equipped with on-board cameras.

Supt Corbett added that the technology would enable police to "build evidence-based intelligence on minimising both officer injury and fleet loss, strengthen operational resilience, and send a clear message to offenders that using a vehicle as a weapon will not be tolerated."

A serving officer from the Newry, Mourne and Down district, who was inside a vehicle which was rammed in October, said it is an "an extremely scary and traumatising experience to go through".

"To have someone deliberately drive toward you at speed with the intent of stopping you and injuring you. It is something I hope not to experience again," they said.

The officer explained that the incident happened after reports of a potentially drunk driver.

"We activated our lights and sirens as we made our way towards the suspected drink-driver," they added.

"However, as we approached a second vehicle appeared and, apparently assuming police were trying to stop him, he deliberately drove his vehicle at speed into the left hand side of our patrol car."

The officer said the police car was "violently shunted" into a member of the public's car, and the vehicle then struck a van as it made its way across the border.

Two officers, two older members of the public and two young men were all injured during this one incident and the rammed police vehicle is still being repaired.

The main aims of the dash-cam pilot scheme are:

• To deter and reduce ramming incidents
• Keep police officers safe
• Minimise fleet damage
• Enhance criminal justice outcomes when offenders weaponise vehicles against the PSNI
• Refine the use of cameras in police cars and identify a recognised standard for evidence extraction