Staffordshire Police Early Intervention & Prevention Unit undertake specialist crime prevention qualification

Seven members of the EIPU, along with the Strategic Manager, are working towards a Level 4 Crime Prevention for Practitioners qualification facilitated by the Academy, which is the ProQual approved centre with the exclusive link to the Secured by Design initiative.

The EIPU was set up in March 2020 and is a team of specialist problem solvers, advising officers and staff in how to deal with some of the crimes and vulnerability issues arising during the Coronavirus pandemic. The EIPU, the first of its type in the country, gives specialist advice and guidance on different areas of vulnerability, such as domestic abuse, child exploitation, mental health, stalking and harassment, hate crime and drugs and alcohol intervention/prevention. The team are also involved in the prevention of business/retail, rural and night-time economy crime.

The Level 4 Crime Prevention for Practitioners qualification supports those who provide specialist advice within their role, and also provides a stepping stone to the Academy’s Level 5 Diploma in Crime Prevention – Designing Out Crime.

Diane Malkin, Strategic Manager Vulnerability, Early Intervention & Prevention, Staffordshire Police, said: “This is a great opportunity for Staffordshire Police to expand on existing provision already within the Force. By undertaking this training we will be able to build resilience in relation to our crime prevention delivery and strengthen the force delivery in relation to problem solving.

“Those staff gaining the qualification whilst working within the Early Intervention and Prevention Unit will go on to support neighbourhood policing and wider force areas in relation to harm reduction initiatives.”

Speaking on behalf of the Police Crime Prevention Academy (PCPA), the Head of Academy Guy Collyer, said: “The Academy was delighted to have the opportunity to work with Staffordshire Police to support the effectiveness of this new unit and to increase their capacity to progress the preventative strand in their respective areas of work and collectively. The delegates brought a wide range of work and personal experiences to the qualification, which they can build on with the support of the Academy.”

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. It 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.

The Academy offers a number of distance learning qualifications, which can be accessed without the need to be away from home or work.

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