Dyfed-Powys Police officers, pictured, have been presented with their Crime Prevention qualification certificates from the force’s Head of Uniformed Policing. Chief Supt Peter Roderick presented 15 officers with their certificates at force Headquarters, as the first cohort of Dyfed-Powys to undertake the qualifications. They’re part of new accredited qualifications in crime prevention and designing out crime provided by the Police Crime Prevention Academy. The officers from Dyfed-Powys received the Crime Prevention for Practitioners Level 4 Certificate, with one officer receiving a Level 5 Diploma in Crime Prevention – Designing Out Crime.
Dyfed-Powys Assistant Chief Constable Vicki Evans said, “As a Force we are delighted to have only the second accredited cohort of officers nationally. Dyfed-Powys Police recognise the importance and benefit of crime prevention being pivotal to problem solving. We are investing heavily in identifying the root causes of problems at the earliest opportunity to ensure that our communities are in receipt of the right service at the right time. Preventative policing is being embedded within the Force as the core function to maximise opportunities to keep our communities safe and help stop people becoming victims of crime.
“Crime Prevention and Designing Out Crime Officers are a vital part of our commitment to neighbourhood policing and will continue to provide a proactive and targeted response to support and reassure our communities.”
Speaking on behalf of the Police Crime Prevention Academy, the Head of Academy Guy Collyer said, “We have been working with Dyfed-Powys for several years now and we are very happy that they were one of the first police forces to get their staff qualified in crime prevention. This is also a big undertaking for the officers themselves, but they have stood up to the challenge and achieved the necessary standard to be awarded the qualification.”
The Level 4 Certificate in Crime Prevention for Practitioners is a qualification for those who are in a specialist crime prevention role. The content includes the context of crime; the application of a problem solving process; correct and effective use of security products; site security surveys and environmental visual audits; working in partnerships and related legislation; and running a crime prevention initiative.
The Level 5 Diploma in Crime Prevention – Designing Out Crime, is a ten-day course, plus completion of a preliminary and post learning assessment work and is aimed at experienced Designing Out Crime Officers, or others in the Police Service, who work in specialist roles and have crime prevention, harm reduction or vulnerable victim protection as their specialism. The content for the diploma includes Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles and practice; understanding the planning process, laws and procedures; roles involved in the planning and design process; analysis of the built environment products, their standards and use; evaluation of the key elements that prevent and promote crime opportunities; and making effective recommendations for changes to the built or planned environment.
After assuming responsibility from the College of Policing for the running of crime prevention and designing out crime courses in the UK, the Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (PCPI) Crime Prevention Academy has been delivering a new nationally recognised generation of ProQual approved and OFQUAL accredited qualifications in crime prevention and designing out crime since September 2018. Visit https://www.crimepreventionacademy.com/.
