Neil Wilby Media

West Yorkshire Police officers and PCSOs, across the county, are being given a new ‘weapon’ in their fight against street crime.  

The force is rolling out the Selecta DNA tagging spray across all five of its districts, Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees officers will now be equipped, following successful trials of the product in Wakefield and Leeds.    

The hand-held spray marks offenders, their clothing and their skin with a uniquely-coded invisible DNA mark.

The fine mist produced is harmless to the skin and does not damage clothing or machinery, but it cannot be washed off and can only be seen under ultraviolet light.

The equipment has been funded by the Home Office’s Safer Streets initiative, which encourages police forces and local authorities to invest in targeted crime prevention operations.  

Officers and staff have been trained to use it to tackle those involved in the anti-social use of motorbikes and e-bikes, as well as those involved in retail crime, in particular shoplifting, and general anti-social behaviour.  

Superintendent Andy Loftus, West Yorkshire Police’s Local Policing lead, said:

“We have seen in previous trials here how effective the use of DNA tagging spray can be in tackling issues such as anti-social behaviour and retail crime.

“These are matters which cause a lot of concern to our communities, and I am pleased that all our officers and staff now have access to use this useful product, which will help them to target individuals and the vehicles they use to commit crime and cause disruption to neighbourhoods.”

West Yorkshire’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Alison Lowe OBE, said:

“We know that anti-social behaviour can blight communities – that’s why innovative tools like this are crucial to tackling this issue head on.  

“This investment from the Home Office will help us deliver on our Police and Crime Plan, working together to prevent crime and create a safer, fairer West Yorkshire.”

______________________________________________________________________________

Neil Wilby is a journalist, court reporter and transparency campaigner who has reported on police misconduct, regulatory failures, and criminal and civil justice since 2009. He is the founder and editor of Neil Wilby Media, launched in 2015.

Page last updated: Wednesday 23rd July, 2025 at 21h50

Corrections: Please let me know if there is a mistake in this article. I will endeavour to correct it as soon as possible.

Right of reply: If you are mentioned in this article and disagree with it, please let me have your comments. Provided your response is not defamatory, it will be added to the article.

Image Credits: WYP

© Neil Wilby 2015–2025. Unauthorised use, or reproduction, of the material contained in this article, without permission from the author, is strictly prohibited. Extracts from, and links to, the article (or blog) may be used, provided that credit is given to Neil Wilby, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.