02/2007

The Metropolitan Police Service has installed WPC's powerful ELVIS-VR computer system to help tackle an increase in the number of vehicles seized in the nation's capital.

The Met is using our vehicle information software to support it in dealing more quickly with unlicensed and untaxed vehicles, and those used in crime or involved in collisions.

The Met is shortly opening a new vehicle pound in north west London - in addition to its existing facility in south east London and contract managed pounds - to deal with the increase.

ELVIS-VR will allow the Met to manage information across multiple vehicle pound sites, providing a full audit trail for each vehicle recovered. The system records all information about a vehicle's removal and the nature of its disposal in real time, together with financial details relating to the costs incurred.

ELVIS-VR automatically guides users through the correct process for dealing with different categories of vehicle and provides a central database for vehicle information that will be available force-wide. The Met anticipates that the time saved and reduction in paperwork will enable its Vehicle Recovery and Examination Service (VRES) to process many more vehicles each year.

ELVIS-VR has already helped West Midlands Police deal with a massive 70 per cent increase in vehicle recoveries and seizures, up from about 23,000 vehicles a year to 38,000.

ELVIS-VR will also assist the Met in crime pattern analysis by highlighting any links between vehicles and criminals and reduce the time taken to reunite members of the public with their vehicles.

Steve Ditchburn, who is head of VRES, said: "ELVIS-VR will help us improve the management of our vehicle pounds which we anticipate will result in significant savings and help to make the Capital's streets safer."

For more information about ELVIS - VR, please contact WPC Software on 0117 908 1484 or via this form.