Taxi Driver Online

TAXI drivers in the Chilterns are being armed with DNA spit testing kits to help them catch would-be criminals that attack them on the job.

More than 200 of the spit kits have been handed out to cabbies in the Chiltern district as part of a safety pack they can keep in the car.

The kits allow drivers to take a saliva sample, which can then be forensically analysed to determine the DNA of the person who spat at them.

A personal alarm and a UV property marking pen are also included in the packs along with a warning sticker, which can be displayed in the driver window.

The sticker warns would-be aggressors they could face a criminal record if they verbally or physically abuse the driver, spit at them, damage the car or refuse to pay their fare.

Chiltern District Council and the police supplied and funded the packs, which have already been handed out to bus drivers, after a pilot project was run in March to help boost taxi driver safety.

Dave Cherrington, neighbourhood inspector for Chiltern Local Police Area, said: "Taxi drivers have been hugely positive about the packs because they make them feel safer and they have asked the community safety partnership for more.

"The drivers are providing a very important service to the community under often risky conditions, and it is important that the authorities help them to protect themselves from abuse and potential attacks.

"We've given similar kits to bus drivers who are worried about people behaving anti-socially and spitting at them, and taxi drivers could find themselves in a similar situation.

"We hope that these packs will make the drivers feel saver and be of practical help to them, should they face trouble."

Masud Ahmed, chairman of the Chiltern Taxi Drivers' Association, added: "Working in partnership with the district council and the police is very important to taxi drivers, and I'm very encouraged to see that the authorities care about us, although I hope we won't have to use these kits.

"We are service providers and it gives me pride to help get people home safely, and these kits will help our drivers to this with dignity."