Staffordshire boosts seized vehicles security
Staffordshire Police is using powerful vehicle management software to
help keep uninsured drivers off the roads. The Easy Link Vehicle
Information System helps officers ensure that seized vehicles held by
vehicle recovery operators are not released unless the correct driver
documents have been produced at a police station.
Staffordshire Police is using powerful vehicle management software to help keep uninsured drivers off the roads. The Easy Link Vehicle Information System helps officers ensure that seized vehicles held by vehicle recovery operators are not released unless the correct driver documents have been produced at a police station.
Previously, recovery operators relied on paper release notices issued by the force to members of the public who had presented their documents at a police station.
The Easy Link system automatically alerts the vehicle recovery department and the recovery operator as soon as the successful production of documents has been completed. Only the person producing the documents at the police station can reclaim the vehicle at the recovery operators premises, on proof of identity
Developed by WPC Software, the new integrated vehicle management system features an electronic database for recording details of drivers documents.
It automatically collects vehicle and keeper information from the Police National Computer (PNC) and records relevant information concerning driving licences from the Drivers Database and insurance details from the Motor Insurance Database. This allows officers to detect any fraudulent or out-of-date documents and ensure the legality of the vehicle release.
Allan Edwards, Staffordshire Polices vehicle recovery manager, said: The software system greatly reduces the amount of paperwork generated. We are constantly looking for ways of improving the service we offer, and this system makes the process of releasing vehicles far more efficient and secure.
Staffordshire has exceeded a national ten-year target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the countys roads. A raft of measures and work has been undertaken by the Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership to reach and exceed the national casualty reduction target of 40 per cent. In fact, a 56 per cent reduction has been achieved.
The force seized nearly 2,400 vehicles in the year to March 31, 2010, for having no insurance or licence 853 of them were destroyed as part of the on-going drive to make Staffordshires roads safer.