Venture Security based in Andover has become accredited under the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS) for town and city centre security. Pictured outside Winchester Cathedral, left to right are Ryan Tench and Josh Kenway.
As brief background, CSAS is a voluntary scheme, whereby chief constables can give individuals involved in community safety, low level police powers. The aim of the scheme is to help maintain and improve community safety, by reducing levels of crime and anti-social behaviour. To achieve CSAS accreditation Hampshire-based Venture officers had to undertake vetting and assessment, including completing practical and classroom-based training.
Venture’s security officers carry out daily city centre patrols for Salisbury City Council in the Wiltshire county town, and are part in Winchester’s newly launched City Centre Ranger scheme, which is being run with Winchester Business Improvement District (BID). The officers have been tackling anti-social behaviour. Under the CSAS accreditation, will now have greater powers in Hampshire to deal with any issues they come across.
Paul Howe, Venture Security managing director, said: “We’re really proud to have achieved CSAS accreditation. It has taken over a year of vetting, screening, assessments and training to get to this stage, but all the team’s hard work has paid off. We now plan to build on these foundations, with even more of our security officers becoming accredited. We’re also working with Wiltshire Police on a similar scheme, to further enhance the patrols we carry out in those areas too.”
Those new powers given to the CSAS-accredited officers:
1. Power to require giving of name and address
2. Power to require name and address for anti-social behaviour
3. Power to require persons aged under 18 to surrender alcohol
4. Power to seize tobacco from a person aged under 16
5. Power to deal with begging.
Paul added: “Antisocial behaviour is a common problem within most town and city centre locations. As well as being unpleasant for visitors and residents, it has the potential to adversely impact on footfall, the revenue of local retailers, and the reputation of the area. The feedback we have received from residents and local businesses about our city centre security officers has been incredibly positive, and within those areas where our CSAS accreditation applies, we will now we able to do even more.
“The initiatives we are already involved with show how effective this kind of community partnership approach can be. It’s a tried and tested solution and so it’s no surprise that many other local authorities are now investigating their options.”
About Venture
Based in Andover, the Security Industry Authority (SIA) approved contractor provides services to corporate and residential customers based across Hampshire and central, southern England. Visit www.venturesec.co.uk.
