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DeterTech and West Yorkshire Police Domestic Abuse Reduction Initiative Chosen as Finalist in Tilley Awards

24 October 2022

DeterTech joined West Yorkshire Police at the National Problem-Solving Conference (NPSC) and Tilley Awards ceremony last week (17-19 October 2022), after the joint initiative ‘Focused Forensic Marking Initiative to Deter and Detect Domestic Abuse’ was crowned winner in investigations category.

Representatives from DeterTech and West Yorks presented the project to a judging panel and audience, who voted for the overall Tilley Award winner. Unfortunately the domestic abuse reduction initiative didn’t win the overall award, however making it into the final five from over one hundred applications is a great achievement.

The strategy, which also won a BSIA British Security Award earlier this year, involves the police deploying a range of SmartWater forensic marking solutions in the home of at-risk individuals, and then writing to the abuser to warn them not to return to the address and to notify them of the additional security measures in place. West Yorkshire achieved a successful conviction early this year when an offender ignored the warning and was subsequently sprayed with SmartWater, which linked them directly to the scene of their crime.

Gary Higgins, Director of Commercial Operations, DeterTech UK said:

“We are very proud to support West Yorkshire Police with this innovative and ground-breaking work and delighted that it is being recognised.

“At DeterTech UK (formally The SmartWater Group) our purpose is to provide greater peace of mind to people and communities every day.

“It is great to see this initiative making such a positive difference to the daily lives of many victims of domestic abuse.”

Project lead Detective Superintendent Lee Berry, West Yorkshire Police lead for VAWG said:

“Despite not winning the overall Tilley Award, I am extremely proud that this initiative was selected as the finalist in the investigations category and that our ongoing work to protect victims of domestic abuse is being recognised.

“West Yorkshire Police is leading the way in this new initiative of protecting domestic abuse victims, which plays a crucial part in the Force’s Violence Against Women and Girls strategy (VAWG).

“As well as seeing reductions in repeat victimisation and increases in victims feeling safe and having more trust, confidence, and satisfaction in the Police, we have secured the first conviction in the world where forensic marking was used to help secure this outcome.

“Other forces are now using or considering this approach as a result of the work we have achieved so far.”

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