POLICE dramas on television may still paint a picture of gritty detectives prowling the underworld looking for clues as they solve baffling crimes and, no doubt, that still happens.
But the truth is that modern crime-fighting now depends on hi-tech methods such as DNA matches, CCTV pictures and the sort of minuscule clues that are identified by boffins at the national forensic science headquarters in Birmingham.
The results have been impressive, with countless offences solved and dangerous criminals jailed thanks to the new techniques.
Now comes the city's new national ballistics laboratory – which, for the first time anywhere in the world, will allow police to complete a full register of illegal firearms used in crimes.
The information gleaned and preserved at the laboratory will provide incalculable help to police as they seek to snare armed criminals, keep weapons off our streets and make our lives safer.
There is still clearly a place for good, old-fashioned policing and, of course, safeguards need to be in place to ensure the new methods are not misused to erode our liberties.
But we can all rest a little easier, knowing life's getting harder for wrong-doers.