The retail crime prevention initiative Raid-control got a ‘Contribution to the Community’ award at the recent British Security Industry Association’s annual luncheon and awards.
Raid-control reports it has also recently been recognised by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) in their Gun Crime Prevention Manual as a best practice approach to reducing commercial robbery.
In making the award, David Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BSIA, said: "Raid-control epitomises what can be achieved through partnership within the wider policing family. It has played a significant role in reducing robbery in small retail outlets at the heart of communities."
New Raid-control Chairman John Birkenshaw, who collected the award, said: "I am delighted that the initiative has won such a prestigious award at one of the most important security events of the year. When we launched the concept in 2002 we were sure that it had the ability to make a real difference to small community retailers and the BSIA award confirms that confidence."
The initiative involves the police and the security, retail and insurers. It requires retailers to adopt five crime prevention measures including: staff training, cash minimisation, time delay, image capture and stolen cash traceable. These measures, which were put together with small retailers in mind, is proving to be highly cost effective, it is claimed.
There are more than 250 Raid-control certificated premises across the country and a further 250 awaiting certification, the initiative adds.
