Force ‘sets forensic standards’ across UK

NORTH Wales Police have been hailed as a role model for the rest of the UK’s forces in the way they investigate serious road crashes and their use of high-tech methods including drones.

The region’s police and crime commissioner, Arfon Jones, said he was proud they had been named as the lead force for a new accreditation system after setting the “gold standard” for forensic investigations.

The constabulary has received extra funding of £2 million to head up the new Forensic Collision Investigation Network as the host force.

The aim is to get all 43 forces accredited by October 2022 and North Wales Assistant Chief Constable has been appointed as the lead officer for the initiative.

It was, said Mr Jones, vitally important that the investigations were conducted properly to ensure justice was done, particularly for the victims of road crashes and their families.

Mr Jones, a former police inspector, added: “I am very proud that North Wales Police are taking the lead in this important initiative to ensure we don’t have a postcode lottery in terms of the quality of the forensic investigations.

“The excellence of the investigations in North Wales is not something that has happened overnight. It is testament to the skill and dedication of our officers over a number of years.

“Sacha Hatchett is an excellent and hugely capable Assistant Chief Constable, so she is the perfect choice as the lead officer for the initiative.

“The families of victims deserve to have investigations carried out to the highest possible standard.

“People being killed or injured on our roads is a crime and that crime deserves to be properly investigated, just like investigations into assaults, rapes or homicides.

“Victims who are killed or injured on the roads deserve the same level of competent police investigation as everybody else.

“In North Wales they’re getting the gold standard in terms of forensic investigation and hopefully we’ll bring everybody in England and Wales up to our level.”