Cardiff’s concerted efforts to reduce business crime leads to National Standards Accreditation

CABC is a Business Crime Reduction Partnership which operates within FOR Cardiff – Cardiff’s Business Improvement District (BID).

It protects businesses by providing its members with the tools and intelligence to prevent, detect and reduce business crime as well as make the city a safer place for everyone to enjoy.

Member businesses include retail premises, pubs, clubs and hotels from across Cardiff City Centre to Cardiff Bay.

All members are connected to partners through the CityNet Public Safety Radio system for retail and night-time economy venues in Cardiff City Centre. The CityNet radio terminal is located in the CCTV control room at Cardiff County Hall and is monitored by a police officer 24/7, 365 days a year.

Another major benefit for members is the DISC intelligence and incident sharing network, which contributes to stock loss prevention by identifying and targeting offenders. The radio and DISC systems together provide an effective communications network to provide up-to-date information on current offenders and local crime trends.

Members are also supported via free industry-specific training courses to educate staff and improve community safety. These courses are run with the support of key organisations that have front-line experience.

CABC worked in partnership with British Transport Police and Cardiff and District Hoteliers Group to train hoteliers on how to identify and report young people at risk from child exploitation and county-lines drugs gangs. They also partnered with New Pathways, a sexual assault referral charity, to educate staff working in the licensed industry on how to intervene early to protect people who may be at risk of trauma or sexual violence.

Free online Drinkaware training is also available to licensed venues to help staff working in the evening and night-time economy recognise the vulnerability of customers who may have consumed too much alcohol. (Photo below shows Adrian Field, of FOR Cardiff, Rory Fleming, Chair of CABC and Inspector Darren Grady, of South Wales Police).

Hosted and funded by FOR Cardiff, CABC works in partnership with key organisations like South Wales Police, British Transport Police, Cardiff Council, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service and the Cardiff Licensees Forum.

CABC received its National Standards Accreditation from Police Crime Prevention Initiatives, a police-owned organisation that works alongside police forces to reduce crime and build safer communities.

Adrian Field, Executive Director of FOR Cardiff, said: “Cardiff Against Business Crime continues to move from strength to strength. From establishing an effective radio network in its first year to working with partners to achieve Purple Flag status for Cardiff, CABC continues to not only meet but also exceed national standards.”

CABC is led by Business Crime Reduction Manager, Ian Tumelty, who joined the partnership in 2018 following a 30-year career with South Wales Police where he worked as an Inspector and led many multi-agency projects to reduce violence and alcohol misuse.

Ian worked with the Home Office’s ‘Ending Gangs and Serious Youth Violence’ programme as an independent advisor and as a member of its peer review team. He is the current Chair of the Wales Against Business Crime Group and Wales representative on the National Association of Business Crime Partnerships. He is also the Purple Flag Co-ordinator for the Cardiff Community Safety Partnership’s Night-Time Economy Group.

Ian said he was delighted that the National Standards accreditation had been renewed after two years. “It is a further endorsement of the work we are doing. Our strong partnerships form a network of businesses and agencies working together to reduce crime and make Cardiff a safer place for all to enjoy.”  

The BCRP assessment was carried out by Bob Bevan, of the National Association of Business Crime Partnerships (NABCP). In his summary, he praised CABC for having a strong community safety working ethos that supports businesses and the community. (Photo below shows Bob Bevan, of NABCP and Rory Fleming, Chair of CABC).

“Cardiff Against Business Crime’s radio scheme is well-established, well run and operated by its members and public agencies. The availability of a police officer viewing CCTV with direct communication with members and operational police units no doubt supports its effectiveness for both private and public sector organisations in a busy city centre.”

Guy Collyer, who leads on BCRPs for Police Crime Prevention Initiatives, said: “CABC is well-rooted in good management practices and works effectively with members. The training it has provided to protect vulnerable people, particularly young people, is outstanding – and shows how much CABC is in tune with the police and other organisations about what’s important to achieve safer places.”

The BCRP National Standards Award is based on a set of standards owned by the National Business Crime Centre and includes good management practices and procedures to ensure BCRPs are functioning in an ethical and professional manner within the law.

The assessment includes membership agreements, data security and compliance with current legislation, specifically General Data Protection Regulation. It involves demonstrating that information received by members and partner organisations is robust, up to date and easily accessible 24/7. For some BCRPs, the standards will include the use of CCTV and radio links with members.

Chair of Cardiff Against Business Crime, Rory Fleming, said: “We are pleased to be one of the first partnerships in the UK to be reaccredited to these high standards and it shows that our business and partners can be confident that we are doing all we can to reduce business crime.”

It is expected that the National Standards will enhance the level of partnership working around the country and encourage continued, significant, national business investment in BCRPs. In addition, the intention is that it will provide reassurance to police forces that data shared with BCRP partner organisations will be utilised in a responsible manner to reduce criminal activity.

Cardiff Against Business Crime:
https://www.cardiffabc.com/

FOR Cardiff:
www.forcardiff.com/

About Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (Police CPI)
Police CPI is a police-owned organisation that works on behalf of the Police Service throughout the UK to deliver a wide range of crime prevention and demand reduction services. It maintains close working links with the Home Office, National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and police forces around the country. Senior police officers are Police CPI Board Members and control and direct the work Police CPI carries out.
Visit: www.policecpi.com