West Midlands PCC invests £165,000 to expand Operation Snap to make roads safer

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, has announced a significant investment of £165,000 into West Midlands Police’s third-party dash cam reporting service, Operation Snap.

This funding boost will enable the force to substantially expand its team of officers and resources, further enhancing road safety across the region.

Operation Snap allows members of the public to submit video footage of careless, dangerous or reckless driving incidents, captured on their dash cams or other recording devices.

Last year, the service received over 16,200 video clips, resulting in a remarkable near 85% success rate for prosecution. Motorists found guilty of driving offences faced a range of consequences, including instant bans, warning letters, fines, penalty points on their licenses and, in serious cases, court appearances.

The PCC considers road safety a top priority and has pledged to work collaboratively with partners, to halve the number of people killed and seriously injured on West Midlands roads by 2030. This investment in Operation Snap is a crucial step towards achieving that goal.

Simon Foster, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “Preventing and tackling crime and anti-social behaviour and reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads is a top priority. Operation Snap is proving to be an incredibly effective tool, in holding careless, dangerous and reckless drivers to account for their actions.

“By investing in its expansion, we are sending a clear message, that careless, dangerous and reckless driving will not be tolerated in the West Midlands. I emphasise, this investment is aimed at preventing and tackling crime and anti-social behaviour and reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads.”

Chief Superintendent Andrew Parsons, who heads up the Operation Snap team, emphasised the importance of the PCC’s investment, stating: “This funding is absolutely vital. It will allow us to significantly increase our capacity to review and process the footage submitted by the public.

“The sheer volume of submissions demonstrates the public’s commitment to road safety, and this investment ensures we can effectively respond to their concerns. With increased resources, we can take even more decisive action against dangerous driving, ultimately helping to prevent serious collisions and save lives.”

The expanded Operation Snap team will focus on:

• Increasing the efficiency of processing submitted footage

• Enhancing the quality of investigations

• Further deterring dangerous driving through increased enforcement

  
  

West Midlands Police encourages all road users to continue reporting incidents of careless, dangerous and reckless driving through Operation Snap. The service is available through the West Midlands Police website here.