A NORTH-East police force has joined a national initiative to share a day in the life of officers using technology to bring criminals to justice.

Durham Police are one of four forces that will take part in a 24-hour Twitter marathon tomorrow (June 30) to highlight the importance of the police’s online presence.

Under current investigatory powers laws, officers can complete telecommunications checks for crimes including fraud, harassment, burglary, robbery and theft.

Forces are able to use the checks during the early stages of investigations to prove or disprove where a person was or who they were in contact with.

The information often proves vital to the course of the case and Durham Police will be joined by Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Gloucestershire during the “Tweetathon”.

National Policing Lead for Communications Data, Assistant Chief Constable Richard Berry, said: “The argument is often made that we can have privacy and freedom or security. In the police service, we believe we can have privacy, freedom and security.”