Information on Loughborough

Bluetooth technology helps Download music fans

Posted on 10/06/2009

police,constabulary,leicestershire police Bluetooth technology helps Download music fans

The police and the Leicestershire Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT) are using Bluetooth technology for a second time at this weekend’s Download music festival.

Workers from some of the region’s drug treatment services will be walking around Donington Park using eight portable Bluetooth boxes.  They will be sending out crime prevention and sensible drink and drug messages to people’s mobile telephones.  Each box is able to send messages to mobile phones within a 25m radius.

People with Bluetooth enabled mobiles will receive a note asking them if they want to receive a message. 

If they accept, they will be sent the animated message, which will contain information on a range of topics, including crime prevention and advice on alcohol and drug use.  As the messages are sent using Bluetooth technology and not SMS, they will cost nothing for phone uses to receive.

Bernadette Wharton, the Criminal Justice Lead for the three Drug and Alcohol Action Teams, in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland said; "Last year we had four boxes, this year we have eight so we should be able to get our messages out to even more people.  It is an exciting way of getting key personal safety messages, as well as drug and alcohol harm reduction messages, to revellers throughout the festival. The messages will be quirky; they will raise a laugh in the spirit of the festival, but will also contain some useful tips to ensure that festival goers have a perfect Download."

The police are working closely with the organisers of the Download Music Festival to reduce the impact of crime during this year’s event at Donington Park. 314 crimes were reported to the police during the festival in 2008, which was a small reduction on the year before, but 73 tents were broken into on the first night alone and incidents of theft made up 80% of all crime committed during last year’s festival.  This year the festival runs from Friday 12th June to Sunday 14th June but many fans will start arriving from Wednesday 10th June.  

The technology is being used for the second time at Download.  Inspector Chris Brown, Commander of North West Leicestershire Local Policing Unit said; “We were looking for innovative new ways to get our messages through to young people and we know that new technology is the way forward.  We hope that sending messages out in this way will capture people’s imagination and make them think about the security of their belongings and therefore reduce crime as well.”  

There will also be team of Drug and Alcohol Advice workers on site to provide specialist advice on substance misuse and harm reduction to anyone who requires support during the event. 

Inspector Brown continued; “For the first time we are also using Facebook to send out crime prevention messages to fans all over the country and the response has been very positive with more than 700 ‘friends,’ so far.  You can also access our Facebook account from the official Download website and see that we also have a discussion forum called Old Bill.” 

You can log onto Facebook and search for ‘Leicestershire Police and Download.