Doorbell cameras and home CCTV now 'bread and butter' of Thames Valley Police investigations
Officers say evidence from the public is fundamental to helping catch and prosecute criminals
Thames Valley Police says footage from doorbell cameras, home CCTV and mobile phones have become an essential part of modern policing, with around 3.5 million pieces of evidence given to them by the public.
The force is encouraging more residents and businesses to register with its NiCE Investigate platform, which allows officers to securely request material when it is needed during an investigation.
Kelly Scully, Criminal Justice Operational Manager for Thames Valley Police, said: "Digital evidence is absolutely fundamental to everything that we do these days.
"It can help with something quite low level to some of the most serious crimes."
The NiCE Investigate system enables officers to send a secure link to victims or witnesses for them to upload evidence.
The force brought the system in during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing them to continue their work while reducing face-to-face contact.
Ms Scully said: "It meant the public felt safer, but we were still able to investigate crimes.
"Rather than us having to go to a store and collect CCTV or an individual's house, that material can be sent remotely, reviewed remotely and then managed accordingly.
"It's just part of everyday policing for us now, it's like our bread and butter."
According to Thames Valley Police, the system can prove decisive in helping securing convictions.
"When faced with digital evidence of their own behaviour, we often see suspects turn around and say, 'Yeah, okay, I didn't do well here,' and hold their hands up," Ms Scully said.
As well as assisting officers, she believes the platform lets communities get involved in policing.
"It allows the public to be socially responsible and to play a part in reducing crime, catching criminals and bringing offenders to justice," she said.
Ms Scully stressed that sharing footage is always voluntary and that members of the public remain in control of what they choose to give to the police.
"When you register with us to share your footage, that's not us being able to directly dial into your system," she explained.
"We're able to contact you to ask, 'Do you have something? Are you happy to share?' Only if you're happy to do so will you send that across."
She added that NiCE Investigate is also connected to other policing systems, including 999 call evidence, public space CCTV and body-worn video, while allowing investigators to securely share digital evidence directly with the Crown Prosecution Service as cases progress.