We seem to live in ‘crisis’ times, writes Michelle Bailey, pictured, who makes the case for prevention of crime as preferable to detection.
One such crisis that has been heavily in the news recently is the reducing number of detectives our police forces have at their disposal, whilst case loads are increasing. This is a growing challenge for chief constables and Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). In the face of such challenges a new approach is needed and communities will need to understand how they can support their local police force.
Equally, the role of security companies needs to be at the forefront of the solution. There may not be a perfect answer but there is certainly a better answer to these shared challenges. We should firstly commend our UK police. Officers are working harder than ever and their goodwill contributes to the positive reputation that we enjoy worldwide.
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) has the goal to ‘Promote Improvements in Policing to make everyone Safer’. In their assessments they consider how effective:
1 … are police forces at preventing crime, tackling anti-social behaviour and keeping people safe?
2 … are forces at investigating crime and reducing re-offending?
3 … are forces at protecting those who are vulnerable from harm, and supporting victims?
4 … are forces at tackling serious and organised crime?
5 … are the forces’ specialist capabilities?
You can view the status of your local force on their website. They are very detailed.
We have the daily privilege of working with South Yorkshire Police. From the statistics it is clear they are facing recorded averages in crime that exceed the national average. We commend them for their service, recognising they are continually looking to improve.
The real question though is not what they can do for us but sensibly what we can do for them? More and more security companies will need to fill gaps that contribute to prevention of crime. Nationally, our industry needs to use their specialist skills to become a best partner in sharing expertise. We have the capability to be on scene quickly and our regular presence is a deterrent in itself. The days are gone when we might work independently of each other. How we work together ‘on the ground’ needs good communication and practice. We share the goal of protecting our community after all. It is reported that over the last five years police budgets were reduced by 22 per cent and 32,334 officers and staff were lost; when calls to the service are increasing. Imagine this challenge for any organisation! I wondered if my thinking might strike a note with our Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings so I asked him. I am delighted to receive this response.
Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner said: “Since the start of austerity in 2010, South Yorkshire Police have lost 600 officers. At the same time we have also seen is a rise in demand on the police, not least because other parts of the welfare state are cutting back.
“The simple answer might seem to be to put more officers in neighbourhoods, but crimes are changing too. We need more officers with skills to detect offenders and bring them to justice. Child sexual exploitation, for example, has moved from the streets to the internet, so you need police staff who work with IT.
“Cyber crime generally is on the increase, targeting vulnerable older people and trying to scam them out of hundreds of pounds, so we need specialist officers trained in detecting those who treat crime as an occupation.
“All of this is happening as the purse strings are tightened by the Government and the feedback from the public is that they want to see more policing on the streets. I have asked the chief constable to re-visit neighbourhood policing after it eroded over recent years and we hope to have a new fit-for purpose model in the coming months, but the force no longer has the number of officers it did. If more preventive work is to be done, it has to involve greater collaboration with partners, such as Fire and Rescue and Ambulance.”
There has never been a greater need for the security industry to step forward, help raise public awareness and offer the reassurances that can be gained through their services. Working as the supplier to local authorities, as is our privilege in Barnsley, will also become a key factor in serving the protection needs of our towns and cities. Partnerships must be the way forward if we are to retain the levels of protection the public rightly expect. Let’s make it our challenge to play a full part in the solutions. We have trained our staff for such duties and they are ready to be used. It’s the most effective solution to ease the pressures on our police and the means to prevent crime at source.
About the author
Michelle Bailey is MD of the Barnsley-based guarding company Active Response Security. She is among the invited speakers at the Security TWENTY conference in Harrogate on Tuesday, July 4.
