New tools set out to police teams to keep streets safe

West Midlands Police have purchased and sent out new new stingers, window tint testers, breath kits and speed detection devices to local policing teams, with the items purchased from the proceeds of money recouped from offenders.

Funds totalling more than £65,000 were released through the Police Of Crime Act (POCA) fund, money which has been taken from offenders.

The force said it would enable it to catch suspects who flee from crime scenes as well as snare people who speed and drink drive.

Across the force, 28 more stingers, (tyre deflation devices), 42 extra window tint testers, (utilised for illegal tints on windscreens and front windows which criminals use to conceal their identity), 24 alcohol breath kits and 15 more speed detection devices have been purchased.

Birmingham LPA have received six stingers, 11 window tint testers, five roadside breath test kits and three speed detection devices (TruSpeed SE).

Sandwell LPA will have four more stingers, two speed detection devices, six window tint testers, four roadside breath test kits.

Four stingers have been purchased for Dudley LPA, six window tint testers, three roadside breath test kits and two speed detection devices.

Walsall LPA have been handed two speed detection devices, four stingers, six window tint testers and three roadside breath test kits.

There will be four more stingers for Wolverhampton LPA, six more window tint testers, three road breath test kits and two speed detection devices.

These will be utilised around Op Triton promoting road safety.

Op Triton is a crackdown on dangerous and reckless driving which was launched in August last year following a spate of serious incidents on the region’s roads.

Chief Inspector Rebecca Barnsley, from force traffic and safer travel, said: “We now have even greater capability to safely stop target vehicles and reduce criminality on the roads.

“It’s all the more satisfying that we will be catching criminals due to cash which has been recovered from them.

“We are determined to ensure our West Midlands road are safe and this investment will take us one step closer to achieving that goal.”