Lincolnshire Police to offer victims video statement option

When there is no immediate threat which requires police to attend, people can opt for a live video conversation with an officer who will conduct enquires and take statements.

This does not replace home visits, or any other existing functions provided by the force, rather it gives people the chance to engage with our officers in a more convenient way.

The new Enhanced Video Response Team (EVR) is made up of 10 officers, four members of police staff and two sergeants and will initially focus on incidents in the East Lindsey district.

It will operate out of Louth and Gainsborough and will eventually cover the entire county.

The new initiative will mean people in our community are spoken to more quickly, while freeing up frontline officers to attend more serious incidents.

Dorset Police pioneered the approach, which has since been adopted by a number of forces, in 2024 and have seen an overwhelmingly positive response.

Around nine in 10 people would recommend the service to others.

The aim is to give people more ways to engage with us, alongside the existing services we already provide. Face-to-face contact is still available and always will be.

Assistant Chief Constable Nicola Mayo said: “Technology is always evolving, and we recognise people now want faster, more convenient ways to engage with the force.

“This new team, and the technology it will leverage, will allow us to conduct our enquiries more quickly and deliver a quality service to the public at a greater pace.

“This doesn’t put an end to house visits or other associated functions, this is just another avenue through which we can engage with our community.

“However, we know some people would rather speak to us through their phone or tablet.

“This EVR approach has already been rolled out across various other forces and we are confident it will bring value to Lincolnshire.

“This initiative will also make us more efficient, freeing up frontline resources to detect crime on our streets, respond to breaking incidents and enhance our visibility in our communities.”

Victims must be over the age of 18 to opt into the virtual response service or be with a parent or guardian.

They must have a smartphone or tablet with video and 4G or Wi-Fi capability – the offender cannot be present either.

Chief Inspector Colin Clarkson, who has been working alongside others to bring the project to life in recent months, believes this will bring a new dimension to the service we provide.

He said: "Incorporating technology and approaches like this into the service we offer means we are able to respond to and investigate some crime more efficiently and quickly than before.

“This helps improve the service we offer to the public as well as increases capacity on the front line, meaning we are able to respond quicker to incidents that require physical attendance.

“The technology also allows to obtain some evidence remotely, such as statements, CCTV and other images which in turn means we can make quicker assessments of crimes.”