Former Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Keith Povey QPM, is to Chair the Taming Aggression Group (T.A.G).
A newly formed technical think tank, T.A.G aims to investigate the use of new technologies that can be adapted to deter instances of violence and criminal disorder in society.
Sir Keith brings a wealth of experience to the role having served in the police force for 42 years, working his way up from a constable in the South Yorkshire police to Chief Constable in Leicestershire before becoming Chief Inspector in 2002.
Since 2008, Sir Keith has been Chairman of the SmartWater Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, established by the risk management company, the SmartWater Group, to provide free of subsidised services and equipment for crime reduction initiatives.
One area the T.A.G. is currently exploring is how technology like SmartWater can be used to tackle domestic violence by alerting potential offenders of this risk of being marked if they approach the vicinity of their former partner.
Says Sir Keith: “Often with domestic violence there is an injunction prohibiting people from going into certain areas, yet they still go there and it is very difficult to prove they were there at a particular time.” He adds: “But if they are tagged with a forensic marker it becomes much easier for the police to prove.”
Initial trials with South Yorkshire Police have proven to be very successful to such a degree that a video has been made to explain how the technology works.
The TAG Initiative intends to broaden its research to look at problems such as football hooliganism, public order and attacks on front line workers and will be engaging with experts in the field, ranging from academics and scientists to police officers, victims and other important stakeholders.
Sir Keith says: “Police resources are stretched so we believe that we can help them and potential victims to explore how various technologies can be adapted to either create a deterrent to violent crime or provide evidence in support of a prosecution. The domestic violence initiative is an important first success for the TAG Initiative, but we have other announcements in the pipeline, which we believe will have a similar deterrent impact”.
Link to domestic violence video: https://youtu.be/bNgF_Bw60lo
