Case Studies

Bob Knights Scholarship Award

by Mark Rowe

Kent Designing Out Crime Officer Linda Mason was praised for going ‘above and beyond’ in her work to prevent and reduce crime when presented with an award in front of 180 of her UK crime prevention colleagues.

Linda, pictured, received the first ever Bob Knights Scholarship Award at the annual National Training Event run by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (PCPI), which works alongside UK police, to deliver a range of crime prevention work. The PCPI ATLAS 2019 National Training Event in February at Cotswold Water Park, Gloucestershire, was opened with an address from the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick.

The award was presented by Guy Ferguson, Chief Executive Officer, PCPI, after a citation was read by Heather Gurden, Strategic Designing Out Crime Officer for Essex Police.

Linda works with architects, developers and local authority planners to design out crime from the planning stage of new developments to their completion; by including crime prevention techniques and products into the physical security of buildings and their surrounds.

But Linda is also committed to broadening the message to engage with the wider community about the difference designing out crime can make to reducing crime and building safer communities. She is now organising her third seminar in two years for partners and businesses and has embarked on giving talks to young people – such as police cadets and policing students at Christ Church University, Canterbury.

In her citation, Heather Gurden, said Linda has worn ‘many hats’ during her career, including being a local authority town centre manager, to bring her collective experiences together in her role to design out crime in Kent.

Heather said: “Linda works tirelessly in promoting the benefits of designing out crime. She goes over and above to highlight, influence and promote the benefits of good design and wider community safety.”

Along with Designing Out Crime Officer colleague Adrian Fromm, Linda works within the Public Protection and Partnerships Command to cover the whole of the county.

Asked about receiving the award, Linda said: “I was astounded, astonished and absolutely delighted to receive this award. I am not the sort of person to plod along. I need to push the boundaries because that’s what you have to do sometimes to make a difference.

“The more you work with different organisations, the more you tell them about the benefits of the service you are providing and the more the message gets out there, the more people learn about designing out crime and want to be involved. I accept this award on behalf of our team and colleagues.”

Linda’s certificate reads: “Awarded in recognition of dedication and innovation” in the role of Designing Out Crime Officer 2018.

Since the award, the Designing Out Crime team in Kent have been provided with a second member of police staff to provide them with admin support, one day a week.

PCPI is best known for its Secured by Design initiative, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. During this time, more than one million homes have been built to police crime prevention standards – approximately one-third of all new homes – with reductions in crime of up to 87% every year in the lifetime of those developments.

The Scholarship Award is in memory of Robert (Bob) Knights MBE, who died in 2018. He was a front-line London police officer and worked in crime prevention and designing out crime. He became a staunch advocate of Secured by Design from its earliest days and recognised the need for training and development in this specialist sector. After police service he was a consultant and trainer, and a stalwart of ASIS UK; and gained the ASIS CPP qualification. He was also a chairman of the Designing Out Crime Association (DOCA UK).

The bursary award has been designed to support an existing Designing Out Crime Practitioner and give them the opportunity to continue their professional development by undertaking the Level 5 Diploma in Designing Out Crime. The award will be given each year to a Designing Out Crime Officer (DOCO).

Related News

Newsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay on top of security news and events.

© 2024 Professional Security Magazine. All rights reserved.

Website by MSEC Marketing