A NEW hi-tech system which replaces the traditional police line-up has been hailed a success by Wiltshire Police.

The system, codenamed VIPER (video identification parade electronic recording system), uses cameras and a database of 12,000 faces to create a line- up of head and shoulder shots that can be viewed by a witness from a DVD on a TV screen.

Inspector Neil Bagnall said since the system was launched in June, it has saved the force time and money and prevents a witness from having the ordeal of facing the accused.

"We can still use the traditional line-up but I do not know when we would because this system is so good.

"In the past when we did an ID parade it involved the police searching the street for eight other people with a similar description that involved a considerable amount of work.

"Often when we did get the line-up ready the other people on the parade looked very little like the suspect, sometimes even their hair colour was different.

"We are processing three times as many ID parades as we did in the past and we are using it for minor offences, rather than just for serious crimes "

The system was developed over three years by West Yorkshire police and works with suspects having a 30-second video taken of their face.

The police can then take snap shots of the suspect from the recording.

A search is then run of VIPER's central database of mug shots and a line up of pictures that the suspect agrees are similar, is created.

A DVD is then made of the pictures and the witness is then invited in to view the line-up on the screen and identify who they think committed the crime.

The system is so flexible the force can use a laptop computer to display the DVD.

Insp Bagnall said: "This system is a lot quicker. Previously it could be some time after an offence before we would be able to set up a line-up, but now it just takes around two days. This makes is easier for a witness to recall a suspect."