Member Article

Wakefield company?s digi-vans drive down Manchester crime

Wakefield-based Media Displays has been helping Greater Manchester Police to target people who have absconded bail by using a mobile, digital messaging vehicle.

Officers from the force used the vans as part of ‘Operation Spring Clean’, a campaign to keep communities safe by reducing crime during the spring holidays.

The digi-vans were used to target specific areas across Manchester where criminals were named and shamed on the large mobile display screens.

Ian Taylor, managing director at Media Displays, said: “This was a force-wide initiative aimed at completing a spring clean operation. The digi-vans were used to raise awareness with the public and to also target specific areas where there were a high number of people on the run.

“In total the Greater Manchester Police Force had six arrests with an additional offender handing himself in, in case he was next to appear on the van!”

The digi-vans can display both text and images, allowing the police to show photos of criminals who had absconded bail and also include information about them.

The campaign helped raise awareness in the community and encouraged people to contact the police with any relevant information they had.

Taylor added: “As our screens are mobile, the digi-vans allow officers to target specific areas that have high crime rates or where large groups may congregate.

“They’re a simple and effective way to get a targeted message across to the relevant audience.

“Not only do our digital screens help to name and shame offenders but they also warn off others from committing a similar crime in fear of having their face and details appear on the screen too.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mark Lane .