Holmes Unit

A modern computer system, which bears the name of the greatest fictional detective of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, is helping to crack crime across the UK.

HOLMES (Home Office Large Major Enquiry System) and its successor HOLMES 2 provide forces with the technological tools to deal with the vast amounts of information collated during investigations of the most serious offences.

Development of HOLMES was prompted by the case of the Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe, who murdered 13 women between 1976 and 1981. During the course of the investigation, 250,000 names were filed on cards, more than 30,000 statements were taken and millions of car number plates were registered. What this highlighted was the need for a system that gave all those involved immediate access to various databases to save time and reduce the risk of human error.

The Strathclyde Police Holmes Unit provides and maintains ‘Major Incident Rooms’ to ensure all divisions within the Force can locate relevant data. Trained officers provide support to senior investigating officers in cases of murder and disasters (such as the Lockerbie bombing).

The unit coordinates the training of staff in HOLMES 2 Major Incident Room and Casualty Bureau procedures. Other activities include researching archived HOLMES accounts.

Detective Inspector Campbell Murdoch said: "HOLMES allows us to search the huge volume of information that is gathered during a major investigation, to prioritise the important bits and ensure that nothing is missed or duplicated."