Staffordshire Police is using powerful vehicle management software to assist in keeping uninsured drivers off the roads.

The Easy Link Vehicle Information System (ELVIS) helps officers ensure that seized vehicles held by vehicle recovery operators are not released unless the correct driver documents have been produced.

Prior to August 2009 recovery operators had to rely on paper release notices issued by the police to members of the public, who presented their documents at a police station. The Easy Link system automatically alerts the vehicle recovery department and the recovery operator as soon as the successful production of documents has been completed.

This assists the security of the system in that only the person producing the documents at the police station can reclaim the vehicle at the recovery operators premises on proof of identity.

Developed by WPC Software, the new integrated vehicle management system features an electronic database for recording details of drivers’ documents. It automatically collects vehicle and keeper information from the Police National Computer (PNC), and records relevant information concerning driving licences from the Drivers Database and insurance details from the Motor Insurance Database (MID). This allows officers to detect any fraudulent or out-of-date documents and ensure the legality of the vehicle release.

Allan Edwards, Staffordshire Police’s vehicle recovery manager, said: “The software system greatly reduces the amount of paperwork generated, and this system makes the process of releasing vehicles far more efficient and secure.”