Lancashire Constabulary PCSO Coaches undertake crime prevention qualification

PCSO Coaches and the forces Rural Crime & Wildlife Coordinator are undertaking the Level 3 Award in Introduction to Crime Prevention qualification available through the Police Crime Prevention Academy.

The accredited Level 3 crime prevention qualification supports officers in providing practical crime prevention advice as part of the role that they have within local communities and in turn, it helps to increase the capacity of local communities to play an effective role in preventing crime and anti-social behaviour. Local delivery of the qualification by the Academy means that local issues can be incorporated and key links made with themes such as countering terrorism and designing out crime.

Guy Collyer, Head of the Academy, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Lancashire Constabulary who have previously invested in their specialist Designing Out Crime Officers undertaking the accredited Level 5 diploma.

“The Academy is an approved centre for the awarding body ProQual, and it has the exclusive link with the Secured by Design initiative. The crime prevention qualification being undertaken by the Lancashire Constabulary PCSOs is recognised throughout the UK with the certificates issued by ProQual.”

Martin Selway, Lancashire Constabulary’s Neighbourhood Policing & Community Safety Development Manager, said: “Lancashire Constabulary constantly strives to improve the service it offers to the public and this is another example of that.

“We welcome any opportunity to invest in our staff and no doubt this accreditation will give us new ways of getting the crime prevention message across to the public, which will hopefully lead to fewer victims of crime. Our PCSO Coaches will use their new knowledge and skills to help develop the wider neighbourhood policing workforce”.

Founded in 1839, Lancashire Constabulary covers an area of 1,189 square miles. The county has a population of nearly 1.5 million with a rich diversity of communities, all with specific policing needs. The Constabulary has 2,900 Police Officers and 2,500 Police Staff – of which 282 are PCSOs and 460 Special Constabulary Officers, Police Cadets and Community Volunteers.

The Academy is part of Police Crime Prevention Initiatives, the police owned, non-profit, organisation that works on behalf of the Police Service throughout the UK to deliver a wide range of crime prevention and police demand reduction initiatives. The Academy maintains close working links with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, as well as senior police officers from across the UK, and is the established supplier to the police service for crime prevention learning & development.

The Academy is an established provider of police training offering a local delivery option that significantly reduces costs, as well as providing the flexibility to dovetail content into Continued Professional Development (CPD) and to reflect local issues.

The Academy also delivers a number of qualifications to the private sector, working closely with local authorities and relevant specialists such as architects and planners, and offers a number of distance learning qualifications which can be accessed without the need to be away from home or work. The Academy pride itself in keeping the quality of qualifications at a premium and the costs at a minimum.

Further information about the range of qualifications offered by the Academy, can be obtained by visiting https://www.crimepreventionacademy.com/ or emailing