POLICE chiefs have unveiled a new high-tech crime investigation system to help snare criminals.

The HOLMES 2 (Home Office Large Major Enquiry System) will allow inter-police networking to improve existing facilities for collating and analysing information.

The original HOLMES system was developed in light of major criminal investigations such as the Yorkshire Ripper case, where large amounts of information stored manually hindered the review of crime patterns.

Designed by Unisys, HOLMES 2 will include a 'casualty bureau' for national disaster support and an 'incident room' for major crime investigation such as murder, rape and anti-terrorism. In the case of a national disaster, every item found at the scene and every phone call taken from concerned relatives are recorded to assist emergency services in providing support for the injured.

It also provides a database of information for later analysis and comparison.

A national roll-out for the system has already started, with an expected completion date of 2002.

Vivienne Dews, chief executive of the Police Information Technology Organisation, said: "This system is set to make a major contribution to frontline policing. "It has satisfied users on performance and training, has been rigorously tested by Tayside, South Yorkshire and West Midlands police forces and has demonstrated compliance with the National Strategy for Police Information Systems." The system has already been introduced in the Greater Manchester Police force area, with training having taken place for the past nine months.