New surveillance system for dog units rolled out

Lancashire Constabulary has upgraded its analogue FIDO dog-mounted camera surveillance system with a new K9cam system supplied by Tactical Electronics UK.

Sgt Nick Everett of Lancashire Constabulary’s dog unit said: “The main benefit over the existing system is the location of the camera on the dog’s back. This gives the handler a wider, more stable picture on the monitor and does not concern the dog at all.

“The onboard record facility enables us to review every deployment and to replay this footage should we lose the live image during a complex search.”

He added that “any number of monitors can be added to the system enabling multiple views of the K9cam and other tactical assets”.

Lancashire Constabulary dog instructor PC Simon Harwood added that utilising the National Policing Improvement Agency’s (NPIA) ‘POLKA’ online collaboration area has enabled them to share their successful adoption of this system with other dog units.

“This has further added to the collaborative approach taken by Lancashire,” said PC Harwood. “We are pleased Lancashire Constabulary dog unit is at the forefront of developing this very effective and rugged rapid deployment system. The use of this system ensures that Lancashire has yet another proportionate and auditable ‘less lethal’ technology to deploy within high threat situations.”

Due to the positive feedback from the force, Devon and Cornwall Police has also adopted the system.