West Midlands Police (Robbery Reduction Strategy)

Introduction

This strategy builds upon existing strategic and operational guidance and has been produced in direct response to the Home Office ‘Tackling Robbery’ initiative. The paper sets out our current understanding of the robbery problem, examines the wider policy context, introduces clear proposals for action and then addresses issues of performance targets and budgetary allocation.

The problem

Recent analysis of crime figures shows an increase in the level of reported robberies with the majority committed in city and town centres of the force area. Predominantly, the type of property stolen is hand baggage, mobile telephones, cash and pedal cycles. Research shows the majority of offences are opportunistic and committed by young people against young victims. Offenders are occasionally exclusively responsible for committing robberies or more often, responsible for many other ‘volume crimes.’

Robbery in the Context of our existing Policing Style

If sustainable improvement is to be delivered in relation to robbery it is critical that action is rooted within the West Midlands Police philosophy and service delivery style. In practice there are a number of elements of that style which will support our approach to robbery.

• Sector Policing a devolved policing style that puts a premium on a visible street presence and, through public contact, the development of local knowledge about offenders and high crime areas.

• Intelligence Led systems and processes for gathering, analysing and harnessing information in a way that allocates officers to priority tasks.

• Problem Solving supported by the development of Community Safety Bureaux, it involves submitting policing problems to rigorous analysis that identifies points of intervention around the offender, the victim or the location of the offence.

• Partnership to work with statutory and non-statutory partners to understand and address the causes of crime.

• Influence to use the influence of the West Midlands Police on policy makers, other parties to the Criminal Justice System, potential victims and offenders and the wider public to create an environment where crime reduction becomes a reality.

• Local Accountability Operational Command Unit Superintendents and their Sector Commanders are responsible for delivering, focussed performance targets.

• Ethical Performance Delivery a shared determination, supported by audit processes to ensure that crime recording processes reflect, as far as possible, allegations of crime made by the public.

• Learning to promote an environment which evaluates action, and promotes successful approaches to crime reduction.

Proposals

Although success will be achieved through these principles, there are a number of areas in which additional resources can improve performance by delivering targeted policing at a greater intensity, accelerating development work or removing barriers to performance.

In general terms, the force recognises a balance between short term initiatives to disrupt offenders and longer term preventative actions which are more difficult to establish, but offer sustainable improvement. Should funding be available over a longer period the emphasis would be expected to switch towards the latter.

• Improved Co-ordination The establishment of a co-ordinator post will encourage OCU focus on robbery offences, cement cross-border arrangements and permit good practice from within and beyond the force to be quickly assimilated.

• Problem Solving resources will support additional work around the three generic approaches to problem solving.

  • Offender – funding for police overtime to focus proactive, intelligence driven work on identified robbery targets and the networks in which they operate. Additional forensic spend will improve the recovery of material from robbery scenes and, through the ‘FLINTS’ technology assist with the identification of targets.
  • Location – High profile policing and coordinated covert activity increased through the use of police overtime at identified robbery hot-spots. Including appropriate use of overt and covert technology to detect offenders and disrupt criminal behaviour.
  • Victim – Improvement to the initial incident response including efforts to gain better identification evidence.

   

• Long Term Preventative Approaches – Additional Resources To support existing education programmes and establish clear links with Youth Offender Teams. Publicity to raise awareness of victims and to stimulate community action against potential offenders.

• Remove Barriers to Performance An examination of the robbery problem has revealed some barriers to improved performance. Forensic Science, identification procedures and equipment availability can be addressed through additional funding and will lead to improved performance.

Timely and accurate intelligence is a critical success factor in crime reduction. Investment in fast-tracking the development of Community Safety Bureaux and work to harness the information available within the force data warehouse will support robbery reduction across the force.

Performance

Correspondence with Home Office Police Resources Unit confirmed the robbery reduction target for West Midlands Police as being 34.1% over the next 5 years (ending March 2005). With this long term target in mind the Police Authority set a target of 8% reduction for the current year. In the first quarter there was an actual rise of 16%, reflecting the street crime issues the Home Office funding is seeking to address.

With the availability of additional resources the force would seek to increase its performance target to 10% p.a. reflecting the goal of achieving a 34.1% reduction target by March 2004.

Progress against targets and an update of the activities being funded through the Tackling Robbery Initiative would be the subject of update reports to Home Office.