Prison could use radar to target drones
BIRMINGHAM prison is considering using military-style radar to track drones flying over its walls with drug packages up to three times a day.
A damning report revealed half of all prisoners at the trouble-hit Winson Green prison said it was easy to get drugs, which are fuelling violence, debt and bullying.
The HM Inspectorate of Prisons report said stability was being “adversely affected by the high volume of illicit drugs” at Birmingham, which was rocked in December by the worst riot in a UK prison for nearly 30 years.
In response bosses at the G4Soperated prison said they were looking at new technology to target organised criminal gangs using the drones to smuggle in drugs, mobile phones and other contraband items.
Many of the drones either crash land or are spotted by staff but a successful delivery can see hundreds of grams of drugs sneaking through, with the biggest problems linked to “spice” and “black mamba” – formerly known as legal highs.
The Post understands that bosses at HMP Birmingham are now looking closely at specialist military radar systems that are being adapted for civilian use to provide an early warning when drones approach.
They are also likely to introduce mobile phone detectors and signal jammers, which will disrupt the contact prisoners have with the outside world on illegally held phones.
Some of that technology has already been rolled out elsewhere across the prison service estate.
Technology could also give security staff the ability to capture a drone’s command controls, allowing them to land the machine and seize the drugs.
A six-month trial with radar is being undertaken at Oakwood Prison, near Wolverhampton, also run by G4S.
The radar systems can detect and track drones at a range of about a kilometre.
The drones, which often contain built-in cameras, have become a common sight in recent years but as their popularity has increased so have concerns about their use.
Sam Gyimah, the prisons minister, said in a written parliamentary answer in February: “A range of methods to counter the threat posed by drones are being trialled and evaluated across the prison estate. This includes technology to detect and block drones, the enhancement of physical security and working with drone manufacturers.” Recently new boss of Birmingham Prison, Richard Stedman, admitted the jail was too dangerous, too dirty and filled with too many prisoners on drugs. Mr Stedman, who took over two months ago, vowed to clean it up, inside and out, crack down on violence and employ an extra 30 officers to improve safety and security. The former director of HMP Rye Hill, near Rugby, said he had gone “absolutely back to basics” in the wake of riots that erupted in December. He said he had reduced the time prisoners spend out of cells to ensure safety and security of staff and inmates.
In response to the inspector’s report, Mr Stedman said: “It’s a fair assessment of the very real challenges we face at HMP Birmingham.
“Like many other local city centre prisons, we are a target for organised crime gangs who try to smuggle drugs into our facility.
“Drones are a constant threat and, although we have a strong partnership with West Midlands Police to prosecute those who try to get contraband in, we are looking at new technology to help us to thwart this pernicious trade that undermines safety and feeds violence, debt and bullying.
“We are resolute in our determination to move on, make progress and not be defined by December’s disorder and this week the prison returns to its full operational capacity.”