PCC exploring all possibilities for technology to boost policing
Some of the UK's Forces are using facial recognition cameras to identify wanted criminals
Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson says he's exploring every way in which technology can help the Police Force tackle crime.
Some constabularies are now using facial recognition cameras to identify wanted criminals.
While Mr Wilkinson said the technology would be a boost, he stressed it has to balance two factors.
"We have to balance the positivity of real time facial recognition with human rights. I'm more into human responsibilities than human rights, but we do need to protect people from undue and unnecessary stress," he said.
He revealed to Greatest Hits Radio that he's also looking at how AI can be used to support the control centre in Devizes.
The PCC is hoping to soon put in place an app that would allow information to be fed directly into the communication centre, but says the volume of information could overwhelm staff.
He wants to add an AI assisted system that helps prioritise information.
"We get probably 115 crimes reported every day and if we suddenly doubled that, it would be quite difficult if we had to go through a laborious bureaucratic system.
"But if we could have a robotic AI assisted system that immediately prioritise that and, you know, allowed us to target our scarce resources quickly, that would be brilliant," the PCC said.
Funding key to helping tackle retail crime
The PCC reiterated his desire for Police Forces to receive increased funding.
Mr Wilkinson recently wrote a letter to the Policing Minister, Dame Diana Johnson, to share his concerns should underfunding continue.
He told us it's a problem not limited to Police Chiefs up and down the country, but also to the Ministry of Justice, with the PCC saying the overcrowding issue in prisons is playing a part in judges and magistrates being deterred from imposing tougher sentences.
Mr Wilkinson says he shares the sentiments of Sussex PCC, Katy Bourne, who says tougher police intervention and justice measures are needed to tackle criminals who "feel they can rob shops with impunity".
The PCC said: "We're all working in that space, but with very limited resources and if we catch people and we can't, then give them the appropriate punishment or treatment we don't really solve the problem."
He stressed that the justice system needed "flexibility" to best protect people and to manage resources to be effective and appropriate.
Shoplifting is being reported more often to Wiltshire Police, something the PCC says is down to improved trust and confidence in the Force.
A Government spokesperson said: "We understand the devastating impact of shop theft on retailers.
"Our landmark Crime and Policing Bill will end the effective immunity for theft of goods under £200 and bring in a specific offence for assaulting retail workers.
"Meanwhile, our Tackling Retail Crime Together Strategy is gathering data from across industry and policing to better target and respond to perpetrators."