Richard Tracey suggests use to help identify looters & rioters in the future

Speaking at today’s plenary session of the London Assembly, Richard Tracey, suggested using “smart water” to mark rioters making them easily identifiable to the police.

During today’s plenary session of the Assembly, Mr Tracey said: “Perhaps you ought to be seriously considering using water cannon and smart water when combating rioters.”

Responding, the Metropolitan Police Acting Commissioner, Tim Godwin, said he was interested in the idea of using “smart water” which contains a type of dye and would enable to police to identify those sprayed with it as having been at the scene of the riot. However he said there are issues to consider in relation to its use.

Commenting afterwards, Mr Tracey said, “I am heartened that the Acting Commissioner is interested in the idea of using smart water. I believe one of the biggest incentives for the rioting and looting we saw last month was people’s mistaken belief that they would quite literally get away with it. Knowing you’re going to be doused in an indelible dye that identifies you as a rioter or looter is I believe a significant deterrent.”

September 8, 2011