PSNI implements dash-cams in cars for the first time

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has started equipping police cars with dash-cams for the first time. Ten vehicles in the Newry, Mourne and Down district are participating in a pilot program aimed at addressing the rising number of police vehicles being rammed across the region.

The initiative will continue throughout December in response to a surge in such attacks, with over 100 police cars targeted this year alone. Seventeen of these incidents occurred specifically in the Newry, Mourne and Down area.

An officer involved in one of the collisions described the experience as deeply unsettling. Since the start of the year, more than 20 PSNI vehicles have been sidelined due to damage, costing the force approximately 140,000.

Supt Lynne Corbett, district commander for Newry, Mourne and Down, emphasized the severity of the threat posed by deliberate vehicle attacks on police cars. While some police Land Rovers already have roof-mounted cameras, most vehicles currently lack on-board recording devices.

Supt Corbett stated that dash-cam technology will help officers "gather evidence to reduce injuries and vehicle losses, enhance operational resilience, and send a clear warning to anyone attempting to use a vehicle as a weapon."

Officer Testimony

A serving officer recounted an October incident in which their patrol car was rammed after responding to reports of a suspected drunk driver. The officer said, "It is an extremely frightening experience to have someone deliberately drive at you at speed, intending to cause harm." The collision caused the police car to strike a civilian vehicle and a van, resulting in injuries to two officers, two older civilians, and two young men. The damaged police vehicle remains under repair.

Pilot Scheme Objectives

• Deter and reduce vehicle-ramming attacks
• Protect the safety of police officers
• Minimize damage to police vehicles
• Support criminal justice outcomes when offenders use vehicles as weapons
• Develop best practices for the use of in-car cameras and evidence collection

The pilot program represents the first step toward integrating dash-cam technology across PSNI vehicles to strengthen both officer safety and operational effectiveness.

Author: Natalie Monroe