In south London, the South Bank Employers Group (SBEG) guarding contractor is a finalist in the Tilley Awards 2012. That’s an annual award from the UK’s Home Office. It’s for work in reducing anti-social behaviour, street drinking and begging, in the Waterloo, Blackfriars areas of south London. SBEG now enters public voting, where citizens vote for their favourite anti-crime project. For more on the awards, visit the Home Office website – http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime/partnerships/tilley-awards/tilley-awards-2012/
SBEG is a partnership of 17 business organisations in the South Bank, Waterloo and Blackfriars areas, entered the awards under the “Projects led by non-police agencies” theme. In early 2010 SBEG identified the impact on residents, businesses and visitors in the area due to anti-social behaviour. The main offences were associated with street drinking linked to an increasing homeless population in the area.
SBEG looked to the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS). SBEG with the Metropolitan Police Service went for CSAS whereby six security officers from the Shield Guarding Company were accredited. The aims: to tackle the problem of antisocial behaviour, street drinking, a rise in rough-sleeping and begging. Under the South Bank Employers Group’s Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS), the borough of Lambeth saw a reduction in police calls for ASB (Anti-Social Behaviour) in the area by 60 per cent per year.
The effect of the security patrol officers using their police-style CSAS powers resulted in a 59 per cent reported reduction in the number of reported incidents of Anti-Social Behaviour; a 52pc increase in the number of homeless street population engaged with and referred to support services; and an 80pc reduction in calls to police about street drinking.
As the scheme progressed there was a rise in the SBEG patrol area in reported offences of begging. In December 2011 the SBEG patrol staff were trained and further accredited with the power to deal with begging. This has had a positive impact, reducing the begging reported. According to organisers this demonstrates the flexibility of CSAS and how it can be adapted to deal with changing community safety needs.
John Roddy, the new Managing Director of The Shield Guarding Company Limited UK, said: “A massive congratulations to SBEG on winning the Gold Certificate of Merit at the Tilley Awards 2012. The award is recognition of their fantastic work in the arena of reducing low-level crime and anti-social behaviour. On behalf of The Shield Guarding Company Limited UK we were delighted to support SBEG. I and my colleagues are immensely proud that SBEG is now further nominated in the Tilley Awards 2012 public vote and we urge the community to vote for SBEG so that they can continue the valuable work they do to ensure the streets of London are protected and secured.”
Councillor Jack Hopkins, Lambeth Cabinet Member for Public Protection and Community Safety said: “We in Lambeth are immensely proud of the work done on the South Bank by South Bank Patrol and their use of the CSAS powers in tackling ASB and low level crime. The problem solving and flexible approach typifies what we are trying to do across Lambeth, supporting partnerships of all relevant and interested parties whoever they might be within a particular neighbourhood to solve the specific problems of that neighbourhood. As a result of this work the South Bank, one of Lambeth’s cultural gems, is a safer place to be for those who work, visit and live there. I cannot congratulate enough the work that SBEG and the wider partnership do. ‘Best Practice’ is a phrase oft used – in this case it is absolutely justified.”
The Tilley Awards 2012 public vote is now open. To vote visit: https://www.homeofficesurveys.homeoffice.gov.uk/v.asp?i=59474uvrqi
