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Police blame radios for health
problems
By Paul Stokes and Nic
Fleming
(Filed: 18/07/2002)
Police officers are to have their health monitored
after nearly 200 blamed a variety of ailments on new communications
radios.
Some complained of migraines, burning sensations,
sleeplessness and lack of concentration after using European digital
technology known as Terrestrial Trunk Radio or Tetra.
The system offers improved security and sound quality
and is to be introduced to all police forces in England, Scotland
and Wales by 2005 at a cost of £2.9 billion.
Lancashire and North Yorkshire are the first counties
to have completed the issue of the digital radios, which are linked
to the Airwave Service run by 02, the former offshoot of BT.
Two senior government scientific advisers will attend
a series of question and answer sessions with officers using the new
equipment, which allows inter-force communication.
The first will be in Preston today with members of
the Lancashire force, where 173 officers have reported ailments
since using the new equipment.
The concerns were raised through a questionnaire sent
to 3,400 members of the local Police Federation, while in
neighbouring North Yorkshire 20 officers have reported health
concerns.
Pc Steve Edwards, chairman of the Lancashire Police
Federation, said: "Nobody is saying these radios are definitely
unsafe, but neither do we know they are definitely safe. We are
being used as guinea pigs."
Concern centres on the fact that signals received by
Tetra radios pulse at 17.6Hz, close to the 16Hz at which brain
signals operate.
Alasdair Philips, of the consumer group Powerwatch,
said: "I believe these new radios are dangerous. Previous studies
have shown that Tetra-like pulses put brain cells under severe
stress by causing them to lose calcium ions.
"Cells under stress are more likely to develop cancer
and dementia as defence mechanisms are damaged."
A Home Office spokesman said thye Department was
aware of concerns raised by officers. He said: "We are doing a full
research programme on health and safety on Tetra users. Independent
scientific experts concluded that it is unlikely that Tetra poses
any risk to the health of users, but they also recommended extra
research."
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