Police trial new data download technology
The force said the trial could "speed up investigations"
At a glance
Exeter police trial new technology to help officers obtain digital data from victim or witness' phones more efficiently
Devon and Cornwall Police said the scheme could limit officers having to seize devices
If successful, the scheme could be rolled out across the whole of Cornwall and Devon
- Published
Police in Exeter are trialling a new technology to "reduce the impact and disruption on victims".
Devon and Cornwall Police are trialling the scheme, which would allow officers to obtain an "instant download of relevant data" from a victim or witness.
The new software will limit circumstances where devices need to be seized, the force said.
Det Ch Insp Lee Nattrass said device owners would be "present while the download takes place, retaining control of their device".
He said: “The usual process for digital data gathering is that a victim or witness would hand over their device which is then sent away to the Digital Forensic Unit for processing, which could see a victim without a mobile device for a considerable amount of time.
“We understand that such a process can be daunting to a victim, especially at their time of need when they’ve been a victim of crime. This is another step in the right direction in offering a compassionate victim-first approach to policing.”
The pilot is set to end in November and Det Ch Insp Nattrass said it could be rolled out "across the whole of Devon and Cornwall if successful".
"We believe that this will enhance investigations and help reduce disruption to the victim, which is something we will continue to work on," he said.