Stopstick bid to curb car criminals

Insp Craig Clifton from the Road Policing Group said the new device, designed to stop fleeing vehicles by deflating their tyres, has been supplied to more than 300 police vehicles across the county.

It is hoped that they will end police pursuits more safely and more quickly.

The devices have quill-style spikes which inserts several valves in each tyre, deflating them within 30 seconds.

Insp Clifton, said: “It will allow us to train a lot more people rather than just a select few and therefore a lot more cars can carry them.

“The new devices allow us to prevent more pursuits before they develop as previously it was usually the pursuing car that would have the tyre deflation device, hence being unable to deploy.

“Now that every marked vehicle will carry the device, and every frontline officer will be trained to deploy them, I am confident we will see a reduction in the number of lengthy pursuits.”