Lancashire Police has announced that it will deploy the M500 in-car video solution, provided by Motorola Solutions, across its entire fleet of vehicles. This move is aimed at enhancing road safety and improving officers’ real-time awareness during incidents, offering significant benefits in both monitoring and evidence gathering.
The M500 is designed to provide multiple viewpoints of a vehicle’s surroundings, capturing real-time video evidence that can be crucial for investigations. The new technology will help officers navigate fast-moving and often unpredictable situations by streaming live footage back to control rooms, enabling a more informed response to incidents as they unfold.
Chief Superintendent Chris Hardy of Lancashire Police highlighted the importance of this new technology. “Police officers face unpredictable challenges and fast-mo
ving events every day. The ability to respond quickly is paramount,” he said. “The Motorola Solutions M500 can live-stream video back to the control room, giving our team eyes on the scene and building a clear picture of unfolding events. It’s highly configurable and automates processes like starting video recording when blue lights are activated, allowing officers to focus on their immediate tasks.”
Lancashire Police’s recent technological investments form part of their ongoing commitment to road safety. Since the establishment of the Roads Crime Team and Roads Policing Unit in June 2023, they have played a critical role in recovering stolen vehicles and managing road traffic incidents. The deployment of the M500 will further bolster the force’s efforts to make Lancashire’s roads safer for the public.
The M500 system is built with user-friendly interfaces, allowing officers to operate it seamlessly under challenging conditions. Video captured is automatically uploaded to Motorola Solutions’ VideoManager for secure storage, ensuring that the chain of custody is protected. This system is designed to maintain the integrity of video evidence, allowing confidence in the footage for use by police, the public, and the judiciary. The VideoManager platform consolidates incident overviews, integrating footage from the M500 with Lancashire Police’s body-worn cameras to provide a comprehensive picture of events in one location.
Fergus Mayne, country manager for Motorola Solutions in the UK and Ireland, emphasised the importance of video technology in police work. “Video security solutions are vital tools for officers in their mission to keep communities safe,” he said. “The M500 is part of Motorola Solutions’ broader safety and security ecosystem, connecting seamlessly with the existing mission-critical technology used by Lancashire Police. This integration enhances the force’s operational response, improving efficiency and agility.”
Motorola Solutions has a long-standing relationship with Lancashire Police, supporting their digital transformation with evidence capture, data storage, and workflow efficiency technologies. The M500 will complement other technologies already in use by the force, including Motorola’s Pronto Digital Policing app, TETRA radios, and VB400 body cameras.