It is the voice-activated device that millions of Britons use to play music, order groceries or check on the weather. Now police are exploring whether an Amazon Echo could be used by victims and witnesses to report crimes without getting off their sofa. They want to use the technology to deliver daily crime bulletins direct to householders about offences being committed in their area, wanted suspects, missing people and even the whereabouts of the force helicopter. Lancashire Police is set to be the first force to launch news briefings through voice-activated smart speakers so local residents can'Ask Alexa' what is happening in their street or ward. The force plans to use the technology for internal'flash briefings' updating officers on anything from a major terrorist attack to reading out a crime log to an officer coming on duty.

Sensitive details held by police and prosecutors in England are being lost because evidence is still being shared on computer discs, watchdogs say. Police and prosecution watchdogs looked at criminal justice computer systems and found the testimonies of underage and vulnerable victims and witnesses had been kept on portable discs. In one case a DVD interview of a 12-year-old sex offence victim was lost. The CPS said it and the police were reviewing their handling of such data. The joint report from HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary said there was a "widespread issue" involving the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) "misplacing discs containing sensitive evidence and information".