The Mayor of London has praised new police technology which helps to visualise bruising in darker skin, unveiled as part of efforts to tackle violence against women and girls. Sir Sadiq Khan said the device developed by the Metropolitan Police was an example of “how much the police has changed in the last few years”.
The devices, known as Project Archway, allow officers to better assess victims’ injuries, particularly on darker skin, by making it easier to photograph and visualise bruising. The mayor was shown the new technology on Monday and spoke with Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and officers who are piloting the devices.
The handheld device is the first of its kind to be developed and uses a technique called cross-polarisation to make injuries clearer that may not appear to the naked eye. Of 33 uses during a pilot in south London, 45% have resulted in charges, with several others under investigation, the Met Police said.
The device has undergone ethical scrutiny and wide consultation, including input from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Black Police Association, and the Met Ethics Board. Officers are specially trained prior to use and can only use the device with full consent from victims.
Alongside the force’s V100 programme, which targets the most dangerous offenders and has already resulted in 129 convictions and 154 serious charges, the technology is part of efforts to tackle violence against women and girls, following the publication of its three-year progress report on Tuesday.
Sir Sadiq told the PA news agency that police were responding to the concerns of victims of colour. He said: “I completely understand why ethnic minority and women Londoners have had less confidence in the police service and one of the missions of the police service with my support – and challenge – is to make sure we address the concerns that those Londoners have.
“I think what today shows is just how much the police has changed, and is responding to a legitimate concern raised by victims and survivors, particularly ethnic minority victims and survivors.” Sir Sadiq added: “It’s really important to acknowledge the progress made. Similarly, the response last week from the Met Police Service and the commissioner to the hearing into Child Q is significant; a recognition of the systemic issues last week from the police service. That wouldn’t have been the case a few years ago.”
Two Metropolitan Police officers were sacked last week after they were found to have committed gross misconduct during the “disproportionate” strip search of a 15-year-old black girl at school, who was wrongly suspected of carrying cannabis. Commander Kevin Southworth said while the officers involved did not act correctly, there were organisational failings with training around strip-searches said to be “inadequate” and oversight of the power “severely lacking”.
Sir Sadiq said that while impressive, the new technology and work to help victims of colour did not been there was not more work to be done. Sir Sadiq said: “It’s not mission accomplished. Neither myself nor the commissioner are complacent about the need for further reform, about the need for further work, about the need to win over those Londoners who still aren’t sure about the Met Police Service.”
He called for work to tackle misogyny to begin in schools and for it to be classed as a hate crime by Parliament. Sir Sadiq added: “We need to recognise that ending the violence against women and girls, ending misogyny, can’t start and stop with the police. It needs a whole society approach. It’s really important that employers understand the concerns the female staff have, but also pubs, bars, music venues, music festivals need to be safe for women and girls. There’s responsibility for us as men to provide allyship to women and girls.
“There is a role for the criminal justice system to do far better. It can’t be right in 2025 in one of the most progressive countries in the world, if you’re a woman or a girl, you’re scared to go out.” Sir Mark said the force was improving its response to victims of violence against women and girls.
He told the PA news agency: “This new technology is just one example of how we’re day-by-day improving our response to victims of violence against women and girls. A very basic requirement is to be able to get great evidence of an assault, that might be a bruise or a scratch.
“It’s not always easy to photograph it. It depends on the light, depends on a whole range of factors. It also sometimes depends on the colour of skin – darker skin sometimes showing bruising less readily. Recognising this problem, our forensic experts have designed this special lighting technology.”
He said the tests had resulted in more prosecutions and that he wanted it to be expanded to the rest of London and in future, the country.
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