Crime Reduction - Helping to Reduce Crime in Your Area

Events

The Tilley Award 2002

The Tilley Award, which runs annually, was set up by the Home Office Policing and Reducing Crime Unit (PRCU) in 1999 to encourage and recognise good practice in problem-orientated policing.

The Award, funded by the Crime Reduction Programme was named after Professor Nick Tilley who has played an important role in the development of problem-orientated policing in the UK, and is open to all UK police forces.

There are two categories of winner. The first category recognises achievement in reducing crime and disorder through the application of a problem-orientated approach.
The second category recognises the need to build effective organisational support to ensure that problem-orientated policing initiatives to reduce crime and disorder can be sustainable. The winners beat 71 entries to the 2002 Tilley Award.

In 2002, instead of runners-up, there were also awards for best projects in the Home Office Priority Areas of: vehicle crime, domestic burglary, robbery, violence, anti-social behaviour, and fear of crime.

2002 Tilley Award Winners:

Awards for best project in Home Office Priority Areas:

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Crime and Disorder Reduction Category Winner
Bikesafe 2000+, Lancashire Constabulary

Contact: PC Keith Collins Tel 01524 596699

The Lune Valley, Lancashire is a rural beauty spot and a nationally recognised haunt for sports bike riders. It is popular with large numbers of motorcyclists who ride dangerously, with little regard for other road users, the local community, speed limits, and themselves.

A 2001 traffic survey showed that 4000 bikes visited the area every weekend, and over 28,000 annually. An in-depth analysis highlighted the high proportion of fatal and serious motorcycle collisions in the area, and registration of new motorcycles rising nationally by 42%. A large percentage bought by riders who ride beyond their capabilities with disastrous consequences.

In April 1999, the Bikesafe 2000+ initiative was devised, comprising a five-point plan:
Awareness - Education - Partnerships - Training - Enforcement, to promote links with community safety, and addressing national and force casualty reduction objectives.

It was projected that in 2001 casualties in the area would increase by 31%. The initiative saw casualties reduced significantly in 2001 for the first time in 5 years with fatalities reduced by 100% to zero (set against five in 2000). Serious injuries were also reduced by 25%. Overall riding standards improved leading to a 92% reduction in complaint letters from the local community.

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Organisational Support Category Winner
Bridging the Gap, Lancashire Constabulary

Contact: PC Helen Clegg Tel 01772 618642

The organisation and recruitment of volunteers for Identification (ID) Parades became a problem for Lancashire Constabulary. Parades were regularly cancelled due to the lack of volunteers and the unreliability of those recruited.
This resulted in wasted police time, poor quality of service for the public, and a lack of positive identifications for cases going to court.

PC Clegg, as the University of Central Lancashire's Community Beat Officer, formed a partnership with Alison Hughes at The Bridge - the employment centre for the university. After upgrading existing computer equipment to allow for descriptive searches to find volunteers for ID Parades, they were then able to input into the database volunteers from the staff and student body. Officers would then be able to contact The Bridge requesting volunteers from the database.

Between November 2001 and January 2002 thirty ID Parades were run at Central Division - 22 of those used The Bridge. A survey was sent to the officers that had used the service to ask for their views. The responses were very positive with some stating the service was useful and saved them time.

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Anti-social Behaviour
Car Cruisers, Avon and Somerset Constabulary

Contact: Supt Lawrie Lewis & PC Clive Raw Tel 01275 816842

From early 1999 Avon and Somerset Constabulary began to experience what initially appeared to be spontaneous gatherings of several hundred modified cars - 'cruises', increasing the existing concern of the police and the community. A minor nuisance rapidly grew into a major nuisance, challenging public safety and intimidating legitimate users of car parking areas.

Although gaining control of 'cruises' already underway was important it was also recognised that control alone was not the solution. A viable alternative was to give 'cruisers' a safe and organised sanctioned event.

The sanctioned event provided an opportunity for the police to build bridges with the 'cruisers' - to impart road safety advice, crime prevention advice and to make sure their vehicle modifications were legal. Immediate success has been measured by the demise of unsanctioned 'cruises' and the support for the first sanctioned 'cruise'.

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Vehicle Crime
Car Clear Partnership, Avon and Somerset Constabulary

Contact: Insp Paul Bunt Tel 0117 926 2061

A partnership between the Police, the Fire Service and the Local Authorities was formed in late 2000 to combat the growing problem of vehicle arson and abandoned vehicles.

The Car Clear Partnership decided on a strategy aimed at reducing vehicle arson and speeding up the recovery of abandoned vehicles. It revolved around 4 elements:

  • Community Awareness: Informing the public of the problem and offering them ways of helping to reduce it.

  • Targeting Offenders: Entering schools and educating the key offender group of 14-16 year olds and applying peer pressure by discussion and awareness.

  • Reducing the Supply of Unroadworthy Vehicles: Offering the public ways of surrendering their "end of life" vehicle which was cost effective for them.

  • Vehicle Removal Scheme: Identifying potential targets for vehicle arson and removing them from the street.

A trial was conducted in the South Bristol area between January and September 2001. South Bristol was chosen as statistically it had the most problems in the region with over 800 vehicle arsons a year. Elements of strategy proved very successful - vehicle arson was reduced by 3.5% at a time when the rest of Bristol suffered an increase of 20%.

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Fear of Crime
The Future is......Yellow!, Lancashire Constabulary

Contact: Acting Insp Brian Quinn Tel 01524 596636

During 1998/99 police officers within the Lancaster city area were set the target of reducing autocrime by 10% within five years. The division reached this target within 12 months and by March 2001 autocrime had reduced by 26%. There was also a significant reduction in burglaries.

In spite of these results feedback from the public showed that the fear of crime had risen. Analysis was initiated to establish what actions were needed to reverse this trend. It showed residents wanted increased visibility of authority figures, increased accessibility to the police, and increased willingness and ability to tackle quality of life issues.

An opportunity arose in 2001 when local authorities informed the police of their intention to undertake responsibility for the decriminalisation of policing parking legislation in 2 years time. As a result redeployment of 6 traffic wardens to police controlled community safety wardens was introduced. The wardens promoted public reassurance during the pilot period by 10%.

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Burglary
St John's Road Sheltered Housing Scheme, Avon and Somerset Constabulary

Contact: PC Brett Gitsham Tel 01935 402211

In 2000 the Government announced they would be open to bids from local policing sectors and Local Authorities with the intention to reduce the number of burglaries. Following analysis, one particular Sheltered Housing Scheme, known as St John's Road in Yeovil, stood out as it was experiencing a larger frequency of offences than any others.

A minimum reduction of 30% was expected within the first year and six objectives were set:

  • To reduce burglary across the district by 5%

  • To enhance and develop services provided for victims

  • Encourage and develop NHW and the networking of such schemes

  • Encourage and develop awareness of crime prevention measures/home security

  • Develop ways of reducing victims becoming repeat victims

  • Encourage a greater understanding of the realities of burglary within the community

Following extensive surveys of the scheme, and the input of a 'specialist consultant' (a reformed burglar), a number of preventative measures were taken by all the concerned parties. As a result the project received £34,900 of Home Office funding.

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Violence
BAND - Burnley Against Night-time Disorder, Lancashire Constabulary

Contact: PC Andy Moore Tel 01282 425001

During the summer of 2000 it was evident that the number of assaults within Burnley town centre were at an unacceptable level. After extensive scanning and analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data a response was formulated.

BAND was launched in November 2000 in an attempt to provide a holistic and partnership approach to reduce incidents of violence and disorder within the town centre.

A pub watch style scheme was established where licensees could ban violent or anti-social people from their premises in addition to being dealt with via the criminal justice system.

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Robbery
A Safe Route, West Midlands Police

Contact: Sgt Steve Blake Tel 0121 322 6000

King Edward VI Aston School is a private grammar school situated in one of the most deprived areas of the City of Birmingham, every day over 750 pupils walk to the school and back from the local train station and bus stops. The pupils have to use a variety of unsafe routes which lead to a large number being robbed by local youths.

A Safe Route between the railway station, bus stops and the school was established and details of an agreement were drawn. The agreement was formally signed at a school assembly, details of which were fully explained to the pupils by Police Officers. A copy of the agreement and route map were sent to all parents.

Since its implementation there have been no robberies on the Safe Route and police resources have been able to focus on other local issues.

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Date modified: 11 September 2003
Review date:  September 2004
Originator: Crime Reduction College Information Team

Last update: 16/09/02

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