THERE is no longer any highway or byway in Herts which is safe for criminals. They are being targeted by a new dedicated team of specially trained officers who from today (Monday) have hit the road using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technolog

THERE is no longer any highway or byway in Herts which is safe for criminals.

They are being targeted by a new dedicated team of specially trained officers who from today (Monday) have hit the road using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology.

This team is part of a new way of working with ANPR in the county - called Operation Sentinel - to stop criminals in their tracks. It is led by Hertfordshire's Chief Constable Frank Whiteley, who is the national lead for ANPR.

Top performing officers across the force have been selected for the team, which will have the specific aim of patrolling the county's roads to keep law-abiding motorists safe and to target criminals and unsafe drivers.

The Operation Sentinel team will carry out proactive operations with local policing teams, as well as neighbouring forces.

Mr Whiteley said: "This is an exciting step for the way we target criminals and unsafe drivers in the county.

"ANPR has already proved an invaluable tool in helping officers to arrest over 900 burglars, robbers, drug dealers and other criminals in the last year; now with this new way of working with Operation Sentinel and the intercept team, we are making Hertfordshire's roads a 'no-go' area for criminals.

"The new ANPR intercept team has been developed specifically to relentlessly pursue criminals across the county, and I hope this new drive will help to reassure the public that we are focussed on keeping Hertfordshire one of the safest counties in the country."

There is a dedicated ANPR desk in the county control room to support Operation Sentinel. An integral part of the team, the operators provide 24 hour intelligence and radio support to the ANPR intercept units.

The public will be able to follow regular video updates on the Operation Sentinel team on the Hertfordshire Constabulary YouTube site.