AYLESBURY, U.K. -- The system provided London’s top investigators with a ‘secret weapon’ to help them identify and prosecute hundreds of suspects responsible for the London riots in 2011.
The Forensic Image Linking and Management (FILM) software developed by 3rd Forensic played an integral part in helping officers involved in the investigation of the riots codenamed Withern crack the case.
World-renowned CCTV expert DCI Mick Neville, head of Images at the Met and Det Chief Supt William Lyle, who headed the investigation into Operation Withern will tell an audience full of police from across the country that the FILM database enabled them to capture, process and link thousands of images that helped provide the intelligence to caution, arrest and convict 3,145 suspects. Without it – they could not have dealt with the sheer volume of images.
The London riots were one of the biggest incidents of disorder the force has ever had to deal with in recent years. Thousands of people took to the streets and began looting retail premises in extraordinary shows of lawlessness and anarchy.
Imagery expert David McIntosh, who heads 3rd Forensic, is due to explain to delegates attending the CCTV Conference run by the Investigator magazine (www.the-investigator.co.uk) how the technology can easily be incorporated into existing ways of working.
“FILM is the first of its kind in the world and it provides a direct solution for forces looking to make more intelligent use of CCTV and other forensic imagery,” said Mr McIntosh.
“This comes at a time when these images are become an integral part of the evidential process. They can often be the difference between a won and lost case.”
“FILM is the most effective database I have known in my police career,” said DCI Neville.
“It has transformed the way the Met circulates, links and manages unidentified images of offenders ‘caught on camera.’
“It ensures our officers are shown the right images - bespoke to
their knowledge of local criminals - and allows me to see that these
idents are converted to offenders brought to justice.
“FILM is a major factor in ensuring the use of images can become the Third Forensic Discipline alongside DNA and fingerprints.”
FILM received a coveted technology award for innovation from the Home Office recently.
3rd Forensic is now embarking on a series of regional demonstrations and trials with UK force to enable the software to be rolled out nationally.
For an interview with David McIntosh contact Carol Jenkins at caroljenkinsnews@aol.com or call on 07786132375.
www.3rdforensic.com
