Police fear cancer risks from Airwave

Potential health risks of police radio network downplayed

Opponents of the controversial Airwave police digital radio network have accused the Home Office of using the police as "guinea pigs" in an experiment.

Independent scientist Barry Trower was commissioned by the Police Federation, which represents officers, to assess existing research on the potential health risks. The conclusion of his leaked report is that the risk of cancer could not be ruled out.

According to Trower, officers' interests are being sidelined by commercial pressures. "Officers are being used as guinea pigs," he said. "There is a huge financial incentive to roll this out above the best interests of the police."

Trower claimed that the vice-chairman of the Expert Group On Mobile Phones, Lawrence Challis, dismissed his concerns about risks to officers in a conversation.

"Challis said he had read my report. I asked if he thought it was disgusting that the police were being asked to use Airwave when the Government could not rule out the long-term risk of cancers. He replied, 'What's wrong with that?'"

Network News contacted Challis's office, but he was unavailable for comment.

Trials of the Tetra-based system are currently under way in Lancashire, but Federation chairman Fred Broughton said he would call for an end to the trials unless the Police Information Technology Organisation addressed the concerns.

"This report by an independent assessor is devastating. We are still awaiting answers to a whole series of questions about the long-term health effects of Tetra technology," said Broughton.

The Home Office said it would reply by the end of November, but Trower did not expect meaningful answers. "I've posed 27 questions that need answering. I'll be surprised if they have answers by then."

Trower's report can be seen at www.cfps.fsnet.co.uk/reports/trower.htm.