Our equipment to aid policing in Surrey

The purpose of using ANPR in surrey is to deny criminals the use of our roads.

ANPR provides lines of enquiry and evidence in the investigation of crime and is used by law enforcement agencies throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Why we use ANPR

Surrey Police uses ANPR technology to help detect, deter and disrupt criminality at a local, force, regional and national level, including tackling travelling criminals, Organised Crime Groups and terrorists.

As a vehicle passes an ANPR camera, its registration number is read and instantly checked against database records of vehicles of interest. Police officers can intercept and stop a vehicle, check it for evidence and, where necessary, make arrests. A record for all vehicles passing by a camera is stored, including those for vehicles that are not known to be of interest at the time of the read that may in appropriate circumstances be accessed for investigative purposes. The use of ANPR in this way has proved to be important in the detection of many offences, including locating stolen vehicles, tackling uninsured vehicle use and solving cases of terrorism, major and organised crime. It also allows officers’ attention to be drawn to offending vehicles whilst allowing law abiding drivers to go about their business unhindered.

Retention and access to stored data

ANPR cameras from Surrey Police submit copies of vehicle registration marks to the National ANPR Data Centre (NADC) daily. ANPR data is stored together with similar data from other forces for a period of two years.

We have clear rules to control access to ANPR data to ensure that access is for legitimate investigation purposes. Members of staff only have access to ANPR data if it is relevant to their role and the majority of those who have permission may only do so for a maximum period of 90 days from the date it was collected. Some staff are authorised to access data for up to 2 years subject to authorisation of a senior officer.

Searches of ANPR data can confirm whether vehicles associated with a known criminal have been in the area at the time of a crime and can dramatically speed up investigations. 

Camera Locations

In addition to being mounted within police vehicles, Surrey Police ANPR cameras are used at fixed locations where they will help to detect, deter and disrupt criminality. In line with national policy, we do not disclose details of our fixed locations as this information is likely to be of benefit to offenders and if known could reduce the value of ANPR to policing.

National guidelines state that, if a police force proposes to install additional ANPR cameras, an assessment must be conducted that demonstrates a clear need, taking account of the following factors:

• national security and counter terrorism;
• serious, organised and major crime;
• local crime;
• community confidence and reassurance, and crime prevention and reduction.

In assessing whether new cameras are to be deployed, a Privacy Impact Assessment will be undertaken. We will consult with persons and organisations with a reasonable interest in the proposal unless that would be contrary to the purpose of the development, namely to detect, deter and disrupt criminality.

Surrey Police are also committed to regularly review the location of ANPR cameras, in the context of the above criteria, to make sure that the continued deployment remains justified. All reviews will include consideration of the impacts on privacy.

Further information

The Chief Constable is the data controller for the ANPR system operated within the force area and is responsible for ensuring all data in the ANPR system is handled in accordance with guidelines.

Additional information and copies of relevant documents are available at npcc.police.uk

What are drones/UAVs?

An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is an aircraft without a human pilot on board. The term UAV covers a wide range of systems from the small children’s toy to large military systems. UAVs are most often referred to as drones and this is how the Emergency Services refer to them.

What types of drones do Surrey Police and Sussex Police use?

We currently operate a few different drone models across Surrey and Sussex. As drone technology advances, we aim to ensure we have the most up to date drones to best meet our needs in the service of our communities across both counties. Therefore, the types of drones we operate does change.

Currently our main frontline drone fleet is made up of the DJI M300 and M30, the Evolve SkyMantis and for some of our specialist teams such as Roads Policing and our Tactical Firearms Unit, the DJI M3T which is a smaller more agile drone.

Our drones are small battery powered rotor systems. Commonly known as quad or hexacopters they are powered by 4 or 6 electric motors. They take off and land vertically like helicopters.

How much did they cost?

Our drones cost between £1,000 and £30,000. We purchase our drones through the police national procurement framework. This means our drones are supplied by different companies.

How many drone pilots do we have?

We currently have approximately 170 pilots across Surrey and Sussex to maintain a drone capability 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. The nature of policing means that the exact numbers vary as officers move to other roles or are promoted.

Our pilots are trained to CAA standard and must complete a minimum of 2 hours flying in every 3 months to maintain their permission to fly.

What cameras do they carry?

Our drones have the option of carrying the following cameras

• Dual daylight/thermal camera.
• Daylight HD camera.

What are we using them for?

We use drones to:

• Search for missing people and suspects.
• Assist with investigations into Road Traffic Collisions, Major Crime and Industrial Accident investigation.
• Support event planning and management.
• Provide situational awareness to officers and commanders in a variety of spontaneous and pre-planned policing situations.

Our drones are only deployed for specific operational tasks and are not used for general patrol/surveillance. They are not patrolling the skies above Surrey and Sussex daily.

How do we think drones will help us?

Using drones will help us:

• Use our resources more effectively by having the right resources in the right place at the right time to resolve incidents quickly.
• Enhance the safety of the Public and Emergency Service personnel by deploying a drone into situations which would otherwise involve risks to individuals.
• Provide good quality evidence to assist in the apprehension and prosecution of offenders.
• Enhance joint working with other Emergency Services.

Do we have to comply with existing regulation and legislation?

Yes. The Emergency Services need to work within the existing legislation and regulation in respect of drone use. We operate in accordance with our Permission granted by the CAA. All our pilots are qualified remote pilots having passed a CAA accredited training course and we are fully insured and registered as an operator with the CAA.

Our operator ID is: GBR-OP-ZMZYB79QRPPT.

What about privacy and data protection?

We have worked closely with the Information and Surveillance Commissioners' offices and with them developed specific Privacy Impact Assessments for our use of drones and a self-assessment document to test compliance against the CCTV codes of practice. 

The Surveillance Commissioner has visited us and viewed a drone being operated, declaring confidence in how police are using drones.

We are aware of recent concerns over security of data obtained by certain types of drones and comply with national guidelines for mitigating potential data vulnerabilities of drones.

We use the same processes for storing images taken by our drones as we do for any third-party imagery.

How do I make a complaint about the police use of drones?

If you wish to make a complaint, please use the feedback button on the home page of this website.