POLICE intelligence specialist Jeff Watson has joined a national team pioneering the latest crime-busting technology.

Detective Chief Inspector Watson, of Durham Police, was approached by the Association of Chief Police Officers to become part of a team based at the National Criminal Intelligence Service headquarters, in London.

He will spend a year on the project, aiding police forces across England and Wales to implement the new National Intelligence Model. Under the system, front-line officers will be given access to a range of information on crime hot-spots and suspects.