Sky-spotter in use at Aintree
Racegoers at this year’s John Smith’s Grand National will be protected from criminals by new technology which can identify someone from the sky.
The Spotterscope – a high zoom camera – is fitted to a helicopter and will be used by police at the race for the first time.
The system is so accurate that it can identify a person’s face while hovering more than 800ft above them.
The Spotterscope, which has been fitted to Merseyside Police’s £2.8m (€4m) Eurocopter C135, can also identify and check registration numbers of every car it passes.
Police say this will help them stop criminals who are using vehicles illegally on the roads around the racecourse.
Security will be tight at the venue, with spectators facing airport-style security checks, including bag searches and metal detecting scanners.
Police said everyone, from competitors to caterers’ vehicles, could be searched by drugs and explosives dogs.
Detectives stressed there was no specific terrorist threat to the racecourse, which was evacuated in 1997 due to a hoax bomb scare.
Chief Superintendent Dave Lewis said: “The Aintree Festival is a major international event, which attracts thousands of visitors to the area year after year, and Merseyside Police with Aintree management work together to ensure that it is a safe event which can be enjoyed by everyone.
“There will be a wide range of police tactics, many of which will not be overt, to ensure the safety of those attending the event.
“It is important to stress that there is no specific threat relating to the Aintree Festival.
“But racegoers planning to attend the event should rest assured that since the evacuation in 1997 following a false bomb call, the force has been acutely aware of the dangers of the possibility of a terrorist threat.”
