Sexual assault survivors and other victims of crime are now being supported by a new Digitally Recorded Interview (DRI) suite at Newark Police – named after fallen PC Christopher McDonald. The facility has been completely refurbished and relocated as part of ongoing developments at the site. It allows victims of certain offences to give evidence about what happened to them in a safe and supportive environment, where they are interviewed by detectives and recorded by unobtrusive video cameras. Nottinghamshire Police now has a network of seven DRI facilities in different parts of the county, with each meeting or exceeding expected national standards. PC Christopher McDonald was only 19-years-old when he lost his life in in May 1978 as he bravely fought to apprehend multiple burglary suspects in Worksop. The original Newark DRI suite, opened in 2007, was named in his honour. To mark its change of location, PC McDonald’s family were welcomed back to view the improvements. Detective Inspector Gail Routledge, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “DRI suits are extremely important to our work and can prove absolutely invaluable in bringing some of the most serious offenders to justice. “It is likely that the victims and witnesses we interview at these locations will very recently have experienced extremely traumatic events and it is vital that we get an evidential account from them as soon as possible. “These recordings can then be used in court and in many cases will be the only time people have to talk about what happened to them. “They are an extremely valuable resources and I am delighted that we have been able to maintain the link with PC McDonald. I hope that as the years go by the officers who make use of this facility will take the time to think about PC McDonald, to learn about what happened to him, and also to contemplate their role in the wider policing family.” In 1980, PC McDonald was posthumously awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Bravery. Twenty-year-old Albert Loveday was later convicted of PC McDonald’s murder was jailed for life.
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