A POLICE and Crime Commissioner has welcomed his North-East force’s decision to buy more electronic tags for offenders.

The move by Durham Constabulary comes after it ran a pilot scheme that it says has proved successful in stopping reoffending.

It is getting 90 more of the devices, which allow the movements of offenders to be tracked, to add to the ten units that were used during the trial that began in December of last year.

The force says that the tags were put on 15 offenders who had committed offences of burglary and shoplifting and had volunteered to take part in the scheme. The tags are monitored remotely.

The force says that the pilot resulted in the offenders who wore tags not committing further crimes, even though they had previously amassed 467 separate offences between them.

Police made three arrests of tag-wearers during the trial but in each case they took no further action.

Only one subject has re-offended since having the tag removed.

Durham’s Police and Crime Commissioner Ron Hogg, himself a former senior officer, welcomed the move.

He said: “I am pleased that the force is investing in more tags to put on offenders. “Both public and businesses need to feel safe, and offenders need to know that they are being monitored.

“This directly supports my objectives relating to reducing crime and increasing public confidence.

"This is also a good example of how the force is going digital by investing in technology.

“It also offers up the opportunity of working more closely with our partners in probation services."

Detective Inspector Andy Crowe, of Durham Police, said: “We are looking to issue additional tags in the coming weeks.

“I am pleased that the pilot project worked successfully. The aims of the project are to stop reoffending and support rehabilitation, meaning fewer victims of crime.

"The tags we have bought cost only a fraction of the money compared to the tags that most other forces have bought, and this will be one of the biggest initiative of its kind in England and Wales.

“It means that officers do not have to spend time visiting offenders and can spend their time on more important tasks."