Manx police to use covert Tetra handsets

The Isle of Man is deploying 'covert' Motorola Tetra handsets to its undercover police and customs officers.

According to Robert Williamson, technical director for the Isle of Man Department of Home Affairs, 50 of the small-format units will be rolled out in June, following usability testing due for completion at the end of this month.

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He told silicon.com he hoped to have the handsets in the field before the start of the Isle of Man TT motorcycle races at the beginning of June.

The investment in the project is understood to be around £75,000.

The handsets will be mainly used in drugs and gang activity investigations and officers using them will benefit from a more concealable mobile communications device, without any loss of functionality or coverage.

Williamson said: "The main driver for the investment is to fulfil our duty of care for our front-line officers, by minimising the chance of sensitive operations being compromised."

The Isle of Man government uses a Tetra digital radio network, similar to the Airwave service on the mainland, for communications across a range of government agencies. However the standard issue handset was deemed too bulky for covert operations.

Williamson said: "The standard unit tends to resemble a house brick."