Definitive Event Policing (DEP), a service for the events industry, has launched at the Event Production Show, Olympia. The company describe their aim as to help organisers use fewer regular police officers on site.
Although it varies between police forces, on average a regular police officer can cost more than £60 an hour while using a DEP officer is much cheaper – saving up to 50 per cent, according to the firm. DEP adds that it can supplement police resources at events – and in some cases to completely substitute them.
The service was officially launched by Director David Boswell, pictured centre, who formerly served in the Household Cavalry Lifeguard Regiment.
He said: “This is an exciting time for Definitive Event Policing – and the response to our launch has been incredibly encouraging. It has taken many years of hard work and investment to get to this point, building relationships within the events industry and of course with police forces too.
“During that time we identified a real need in the industry for an alternative service to that provided by police at festivals, a service which they perform extremely professionally but which places a strain on police resources and which of course has cost implications for organisers.
“There will always be some events which require a police input but with DEP this requirement can now be considerably reduced, providing cost-saving advantages for event organisers.”
Also pictured are former senior police officers Allan Binks, right; and Martin Greaves, left. Allan was an Inspector with Greater Manchester Police and a trainer at the College of Policing; he provides strategic input and has vast experience of commanding major events.
Martin, who spent 30 years in policing, including leading on self-defence, arrest and restraint for the Association of Chief Police Officers, was a Training Manager for the Metropolitan Police at Hendon and is now entrusted with the DEP training.
“Having Allan and Martin on board as consultants is vital to the DEP offering,” said David Boswell. “Our training is the best in the business and far in advance of anything normally offered to security staff, especially as our officers undergo refresher courses every year.”
Visit: www.dep-policing.org.uk.
