What is Operation Snap?

Operation SNAP is the police response to the ever increasing submissions of video evidence from members of the public in relation to witnessed driving offences.

What offences are included in Operation Snap?

Operation Snap will investigate road traffic offences such as dangerous driving, driving without due care and attention, careless driving, the dangerous close pass of a horse rider or cyclist, not wearing a seat belt, contravening a red traffic light and contravening solid white lines, however this is not an exhaustive list.

What may not be reported to Operation SNAP?

Parking offences, abandoned undocumented vehicles, Crime, Disorder, Community issues and neighbourhood disputes. Collisions which have occurred (these may be reported from the collisions path within our website)

What if I have footage of other offences not covered by Operation Snap?

If you have footage of any other types of offences that are not Moving Traffic Offences such as crime or disorder then it is suggested that you contact the relevant authority which generally tends to be the police or the local authority and be prepared to provide them with your evidence.
For crime incidents, the police crime reporting form may be found here

If you need any further non-urgent assistance from the police you can visit our Website, https://www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/, telephone 101, or chat to us 24/7 online via https://chat.devon-cornwall.police.uk/landing.php

I have more than one offending vehicle in the same clip. What should I do?

Please submit a separate report for each vehicle captured. This is because each driver will be dealt with depending on the individual circumstances of their case.

Why can’t I send you a speeding offence captured on my device?

We are not able to process large volumes of lower bracket speed infringements. Processing speed offences is a highly technical area and evidence from Smart Phones Apps and Satnav is generally unsuitable on its own.

What if I’ve been involved in a road rage incident?

If there has been a serious physical or verbal act of violence during or following a driving incident then Operation Snap should not be used.
The police crime reporting form may be found here
You should include the traffic element of the incident in your crime report.
If the threat is happening now, call the police emergency line by dialling 999.

If you need any further non-urgent assistance from the police you can visit our Website, https://www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/, telephone 101, or chat to us 24/7 online via https://chat.devon-cornwall.police.uk/landing.php

I cannot read the number plate of the offending vehicle in my video, can you enhance it?

No. The Police cannot enhance recorded footage, if you are unable to read the vehicle number plate from the original clip, then the police are unlikely to be able to read it when they replay the footage.

How do I report an offence?

Offences can be reported our website: Making a road traffic incident report | Devon & Cornwall Police (devon-cornwall.police.uk).

Will my mobile phone or other recording device be taken from me?

No, the device you use to record the offence will not be taken from you.

What do I need to do with the original recording?

It will be your responsibility to ensure that the original footage is saved in its original format dependant on how it is stored on the device. This could be for example on the internal memory of the device or perhaps on an external storage medium such as an SD card or hard drive. The footage of the incident must be authentic and not altered, cut or manipulated in any way. We require footage of the moments before and following the incident you are reporting so that we may view what happened in context. One minute either side of the event is recommended. We do not expect you to retain your whole journey. If your device records in sections - for example two-minute clips - please store the most relevant clip(s) to include footage either side of the event. It is okay if your device ends one clip and starts the next during the relevant moments you wish us to assess provided it is clear that the clips follow immediately after the other and continuity can be shown. Long clips may be cut for upload purposes provided no other alteration is made.

So if I have to keep the memory card or device to one side will the police give me a new one?

No. The police do not replace memory cards or devices with like items in these circumstances.

I’ve put my footage on social media, it’s getting lots of likes and comments, can you take a look please?

Please remove the footage from social media immediately. Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) advice is that your footage should not be in the public domain as this may adversely affect any subsequent proceedings. Please fill in the Operation Snap web form (https://operationsnap.devon-cornwall.police.uk)here] and start the process with us. You should not submit footage placed on social media by others to Operation SNAP.

Can't I just send you some photographs or screen shots from a video I have? They clearly show the offence I want to bring to your attention.

No. Operation SNAP has been set up to capture moving traffic offences so it is important that police should view the offence as it occurs without enhancement or manipulation and in real time. It is very rare that we can process an offence from still images or screen shots alone within SNAP. The police will require to see the moments leading up to the incident you have reported and dependant on the circumstances may require extended video footage before or after the incident. This is to understand the context of what occurred.

Will I have to make a statement?

Yes. As part of the Criminal Justice process, and in order to allow the police to deal with the offender in an appropriate manner, you will be required to provide a statement. However this can be completed on line and the majority of the statement will be completed as a result of you answering some simple pre-formatted questions.

Do I have to be willing to go to court to give evidence?

Yes. On average only 1 to 2% of all offences reported using Operation SNAP result in a court appearance but the police may not be able to prosecute the offence without you being willing to attend. The low number of cases heard at court is because Police often offer an alternative course of action to court such as a Driver Education Course or a fixed fine with points; when we do offer an alternative the driver must also be provided with the opportunity to have the matter heard at court. If the driver chooses court or fails to comply with an alternative offer we must be able to prepare a prosecution if we are to take the matter to Magistrates. Your evidence could be integral to the process.

When cases are heard at court, we have found the video evidence is so compelling that a ‘not guilty plea’ is rarely entered or continued. This means that even if your case is heard at court, you may not be asked to attend give evidence.

Will I be kept updated on the progress of my submission?

We will not have the capacity to provide feedback on every single submission, however we will publish performance data on a regular basis. The police may contact you if additional information or clarification is required.

Will my own driving or the way in which I captured the footage be scrutinised?

You must be aware that when the police review the footage which you submit they are duty bound to also review the manner of your driving and also the manner in which the footage was obtained. For example, if you were exceeding the speed limit in order to catch up with an offending driver and then proceeded to film them with your mobile phone whilst driving, then the police will consider also taking proceedings against you.

What will happen to the driver?

There are a number of disposal methods available dependant on the nature of the offence. The driver could be offered a driver education course, they could receive a fixed penalty notice, they could receive a summons to attend court or we may decide in some cases to issue a warning / advice or that we are unable to take any further action. The footage and statement will have been reviewed by a Police Prosecutor who will take all factors into consideration, including current CPS charging standards.

Do I need to have a date/time stamp on my video footage? If so, must this be exactly the right time?

Ideally the time and date shown in your footage should be correct. Your footage is used to support your witness statement which must accurately state what time and date the incident occurred. You must account for any discrepancies and if this is not possible, we will be unable to progress your case.

I want you to see the footage but don’t want to go to court. Can’t you just deal with it?

No. We need your statement to fully understand what you witnessed and so you can provide an account in court if necessary. Police can often proceed with an alternative course of action to prosecution, but you should be prepared that some cases will proceed to trial. When this is required, we will be in touch and support you through the process.

How will the evidence I provide be used?

The evidence which you provide to the police by way of the submission of digital media footage and a statement will be reviewed by a Police Evidence Reviewer to firstly establish if an offence has been committed and to identify the specific offence. For cases recommended for further attention, staff from Devon and Cornwall SNAP team will take positive action which will usually result in a Notice of Prosecution being sent to the registered keeper of the vehicle and requiring the identity of the driver.
Each case will be considered with reference to CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) charging standards, Eligibility Criteria and Professional Practice on options to deal with road traffic offenders. Police Evidential Reviewers will direct the appropriate outcome, options of which are to prosecute the case at court, offer a National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS) driver educational course, offer a fixed penalty (which could include both a fine and licence endorsement) or give advice. By using Operation SNAP, the user agrees to leave the question of prosecution or other disposal in the hands of the police.

Will the offending driver know who I am?

The offending driver will not be provided with your details. However, on the rare occasion that the offence which you have reported results in a court appearance, then at this stage the offending driver will become aware of your name but not your address or any other personal details.

Are there any time limits which I must adhere to?

The types of offences that Operation Snap deal with generally have a 6-month time limit for prosecution although there are exceptions. The police also have a strict legal obligation to inform the registered keeper of the offence that is alleged to have been committed and usually within 14 days of the incident. Please make sure your submissions are uploaded as soon as possible. Police can usually only continue with submissions that are received within 7 days of the incident.

How will my footage be stored?

The footage which you submit along with your statement will be stored securely on a cloud server.

How long will the footage be stored for?

All material associated with an offence or prosecution will be retained in line with the police force retention policies. If your submission is not progressed your footage and any associated files will be deleted.

You’re asking the public to do the police’s job here. Why can’t you catch all these people breaking the law?

The police have been receiving complaints from members of the public about dangerous and anti-social driving for some time. Operation Snap allows us to effectively deal with the footage in a safe and secure way, whilst making the investigation process simple and straight forward for the police and members of the public. Devon and Cornwall Police has a determined and robust approach to policing the roads and will take every opportunity to make them safer for everyone. Operation Snap is not asking you to go out and detect offences for us, but we will deal with suitable ones you find. Roads policing cars, marked and unmarked, are fitted with video recording equipment. The police make use of this all the time. They capture offences and deal with them as appropriate. The police work in partnership with local authorities, other police forces, and Highways England.

What about cyclists and close passes – will you deal with them?

Yes. Operation Snap is designed to improve road safety and to prosecute those that place others at risk. We wish to support individuals choosing a sustainable form of transport such as cycling, and recognise they are more vulnerable road users. We will hold drivers to account for their actions where it is clear that the standard of driving falls below that of a careful and competent driver.

What about the cyclists breaking the law? If you're going to process people for careless driving by putting cyclists at risk, what about the cyclists who ignore red lights and cause risk with their riding?

The police will deal with all matters such as careless riding if the identity of the rider is known. Vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders and motorcyclists are at much greater risk of serious injury and death than those in vehicles. Our priority is to protect those most vulnerable but everyone contribute to road safety including their own.

If the police and everyone else is going to start taking action over all these people caught on camera, can the police cope?

The police do not encourage or require members of the public to seek out offences or to engage with offenders they capture. The police have sufficient resources to cope with individual spontaneous incidents.

I think I’ve been reported by someone using Operation SNAP. What should I do?

Engage with us. We seek only one thing – that is, if we can, to influence your future driving behaviour so that our roads are safer. If you wish to speak to us then contact Devon and Cornwall police on 01752 487701 between 1000hrs and 1200hrs Monday to Friday and follow the prompts. You can alternatively email Road.Safety.Team@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk including OP SNAP in your email title subject.

Can I send footage for someone else?

No. Witnesses must submit their own report.
You also cannot submit footage you have found on social media to Operation SNAP.

Will my footage be used for any other purposes?

Footage submitted to Devon and Cornwall Police Operation Snap may be used for media/training/publication purposes.