Our approach to crime prevention
We are committed to providing the best possible service to our communities. Crime prevention is key to reducing victims of crime and creating safer communities.
Crime prevention is a core business for us as a Police service. Still, we also work closely with other organisations, including Local Authorities, the voluntary sector and private businesses, to keep communities safe.
Our key objectives are to:
- ensure that crime prevention advice is at the fore of our service delivery
- provide a professional, consistent crime reduction service to help create safer communities
- engage effectively with local communities so we fully understand their needs and can respond to them effectively
- we use all methods to communicate crime prevention messages to local communities, such as our website, social media, and our In the Know messaging service
- ensure prevention, partnership working and problem-solving are incorporated into relevant policies, practices and training for all staff
- develop and maintain links with our partners to share best practice
- encourage working with academia to ensure research is developed and shared to maximise crime reduction service delivery, to create safer communities
These objectives will be delivered through four main areas:
- people
- places
- property
- problems
People
Early Action
Early Action is an approach we use to prevent problems from arising (or developing) at the earliest possible opportunity.
It involves partner agencies working together with a family or individual, intervening early to prevent problems occurring rather than picking up the pieces. By doing this, the Constabulary and its partners hope to create better lives for children, families and individuals in Lancashire.
As a result of Early Action, we believe individuals will be less likely to enter the criminal justice system and less likely to need the services of police and other agencies in the longer term. This will reduce the demand on frontline resources.
Citizens in policing
Many people look out for each other and want to do all they can to make their neighbourhoods safer. We want to reconnect the police with the public by boosting volunteering and growing the police family.
To support individuals and communities to play an active role in maintaining their safety we will:
- expand our successful Volunteer Police Cadet programme ensuring that a minimum of 25% young people coming from vulnerable families
- work with Neighbourhood Watch and local communities to increase the number of Watch/Patrol Schemes across Lancashire
- continue to promote and increase volunteer Special Constables and maximise their skills and experience to identify and pursue crime prevention opportunities
- increase other volunteering opportunities within many departments across the organisation
Places
Understanding where crime happens is an important element in preventing crime. It is critical that an intelligence-led approach is taken, where agencies understand and can jointly deliver place-based initiatives that help to prevent and reduce crime and increase community safety.
Approaches not only need to focus on existing challenges but also ensure that physical spaces of the future are places where people feel safe. Designing out crime is an important element and our Designing Out Crime Officers work closely with Local Authorities to ensure that Secure By Design crime prevention advice and recommendations are incorporated into the planning decisions for both public and commercial developments.
By working with Local Authorities we can better identify and address environmental factors that aid criminality, for example, poor lighting and recessed doorways. Such issues may also encourage Anti-Social Behaviour effecting communities and resident’s quality of life.
Property
People should feel safe in their properties and their possessions are secure. We know that burglary is a crime that is of great concern and can leave people feeling very vulnerable in their own homes. It is, therefore, right that Lancashire Police are committed to taking a targeted approach to minimise the chances of being burgled by making it harder for offenders to commit crime by ‘target hardening’ vulnerable addresses and premises.
The approach should not be limited to buildings and property will be considered in its widest sense such as mobile phones and vehicles. Businesses are a vital part of our local communities and are essential to economic growth. The impact of business crime can be devastating and should not be underestimated.
By being visible, accessible and responsive to the needs of our business communities we will gain their trust and confidence, thereby improving partnership working to achieve long-term solutions.
Problems
Partnership working is of vital importance given the changing nature of crime. The pace of technology has altered the property that people carry, how they conduct transactions and communicate. This has changed individual and business vulnerability to crime and has created new opportunities for offenders and organised criminals.
From anti-social behaviour to serious and organised crime, business crime to gang violence, commercial robbery to cybercrime, partners need to work together to explore new and effective ways of preventing crime both now and in the future.