WHY, THAT LOOKS A BIT HANDY; Metal-detecting glove to help fight knife crime

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), August 22, 2008

Byline: By BRENDA HICKMAN Crime Reporter

THIS is the latest hands-on approach to tackling knife crime - a vibrating metal mit.

The new piece of kit was displayed by Northumbria Police today as officers stepped up a campaign to curb any escalation of blade crime.

Those stopped and searched as part of the crackdown will find any trace of metal will trigger a response from the gloves.

They are being tried out in the Gateshead area command in the Get Tough on Knives drive during routine body searches.

Even something as tiny as a pen nib will be picked up by the e-Glove, which simply slips over the hand and wrist and is secured by two Velcro fastenings.

It is powered by batteries and instantly and silently alerts the officer to metal by vibration.

After the Gateshead pilot project, the glove could soon go force-wide.

PC Chris Walker was asked by his inspector, Adrian Maher, to look into what could be used to detect metal.

After much research he found the glove.

The Gateshead constable said: "It just looks like a fingerless glove but will pick up anything metal.

"We've carried out extensive testing and have even found it picked up the metal of a syringe which was hidden down a sock.

"We hope using the glove will increase public reassurance as well as increase staff safety and their effectiveness."

Police say trials have proved very impressive and officers particularly like the fact it looks like a normal glove.

Insp Maher said the gloves will be used for the first time this weekend.

He said: "These gloves are not just going to be used to find offensive weapons.

This new technology will be used by officers to stay ahead of the game."

CAPTION(S):

HALTING OFFENDERS: PC Chris Walker with one of the knife-detecting gloves the force is trying out in Gateshead PICTURE: TONY HALL www.chroniclelive.co.uk/buyaphoto ref: 01344644; EFFECTIVE: PC Walker says the gloves, which look ordinary, are very sensitive to metal