News Archive

Spit Kits

by msecadm4921

Taxi drivers in Chiltern district of Thames Valley Police have been issued with 250 DNA spit kits. It’s to help them improve their safety and confidence while helping to tackle anti-social behaviour at the same time.

The kits allow drivers to take a saliva sample from someone who spat at them. The sample can then be forensically analysed to determine the DNA of the person who spat at the driver.

The spit kits form part of packs, which are supplied and funded by Chiltern District Council and Thames Valley Police after a similar pilot project was run in March to improve driver safety. The packs also contain a personal alarm, a UV property marking pen and advice for drivers who become victims of or witnesses to crime.

Police and the council have also issued drivers with stickers warning would-be aggressors that they potentially face a criminal record if caught which they can display in their taxi windows.

Dave Cherrington, neighbourhood inspector for Chiltern Local Police Area, said: “Taxi drivers have been hugely positive about the packs because they make them feel safer and they have asked the community safety partnership for more. The drivers are providing a very important service to the community under often risky conditions and it is important that the authorities help them to protect themselves from abuse and potential attacks. We’ve given similar kits to bus drivers who are worried about people behaving anti-socially and spitting at them, and taxi drivers could find themselves in a similar situation.”

“We hope that these packs will make the drivers feel safer and be of practical help to them, should they face trouble.”

“Residents have told us that anti-social behaviour is their top concern in parts of Chiltern and working together with key groups in the community is part of our strategy to tackle it.”

All communities in Buckinghamshire have dedicated neighbourhood policing teams – there are 57 across the county – which work in partnership with the local councils, fire service and community and residents’ associations represented on the local Neighbourhood Action Groups (NAGs).

Mr Masud Ahmed, chairman of the Chiltern Taxi Drivers’ Association, said: "Working in partnership with the district council and the police is very important to taxi drivers and I’m very encouraged to see that the authorities care about us, although I hope we won’t have to use these kits.

"We are service providers and it gives me pride to help get people home safely and these kits will help our drivers to this with dignity."

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