| 17 January 2012
Joint initiative between Dumfries & Galloway Constabulary and Scottish National Heritage deploys streaming video to protect wildlife
North Yorkshire: Vemotion Interactive, specialists in live video transmission over low bandwidth connections, today announced a new deployment by Dumfries & Galloway Constabulary and Scottish National Heritage (SNH), who provided the funding for the project, to assist in the protection of a number of vulnerable wildlife sites in the area.
The low bandwidth video is being used to combat wildlife crime in general and ensures that images are immediately transmitted back to the control room allowing time for the police to respond to potentially threatening situations.
“We are fortunate enough to have rare and valuable wildlife, such as raptors, in our largely unspoilt district,” explained Norman Carmichael, Airwave & Communications Officer for the Scottish Police Services Authority. “The threat of detection is the deterrent rather than the device itself. The Vemotion solution is easy to deploy and small enough to be difficult to detect and yet provides high quality images that are suitable for use as evidence and so is ideal for this application,” added Carmichael.
The constabulary emphasises that being aware is key to fighting wildlife crime. This awareness is provided by the CCTV capability and also by the public who can help by being the ‘eyes and ears’ for the police and reporting anything that makes them suspicious.
However, the constabulary warns that, if you see someone committing wildlife offences, do not put yourself at risk. “Never approach suspects yourself as they may be violent. Inform the police and stay out of the way until they arrive. Remember that poisoned baits can be lethal to humans. Never touch them. Mark the spot and call the police,” says Wildlife Crime Officer Constable, Jim Drysdale.
In an effort to combat these illegal activities, in addition to the Scottish National Heritage (SNH), the police work closely in partnership with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and agencies such as the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA), as well as other enforcement agencies such as HM Revenue and Customs.