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from the Hull Daily Mail/East Riding Mail Friday, July 3

Pioneering technology is being used to tell people what police promise to do to fight crime in the region. Humberside Police have installed a talking poster at the Paragon Interchange in Hull, to help deliver their Policing Pledge. A sonic box within the poster transmits the 10-point message in several languages including Urdu, Kurdish, Polish and Mandarin.

It is the first time the technology has been used in England. Adil Khan, diversity unit manager at Humberside Police, said: “The unit works closely with all the communities across the city and the region. “Because of our close contacts and partnership working we were able to determine the top four most commonly used languages in the area. “It is vital the message of the pledge reaches as many people as possible and we were able to put together the multilingual campaign with their guidance and input.”

The Policing Pledge was introduced by the Government to raise public confidence in the police. It states the force will treat everyone with respect and sets targets for response times and improved communication with crime victims and the public. Mr Kahn said: “The pledge is our commitment to our communities and neighbourhoods to deliver an ever-improving service. “It is founded on what our communities have told us they want and expect. It is our assurance to treat everyone fairly, with dignity and respect, be visible when needed and to keep people informed.”

More than 150,000 people travel through the city centre interchange every month. The message is played 24 hours a day at 30-second intervals. It is hoped the poster, which is next to WH Smith, will reach as wide an audience as possible. Luana Smith, the Chinese contact for the Force Independent Advisory Group, said: “I think this is a great idea and illustrates the work the police have undertaken to get closer to all the region’s communities. “It is truly in keeping with the ever-changing and increasingly diverse population of the region.”