Leamington crime initiative receives national accreditation – demonstrating it can lawfully and effectively deter and reduce crime, and adheres to industry standards.
The Warwickshire Retail Crime Initiative (WRCI) is pleased to announce that it has been granted accreditation by Secured by Design to the national standard to ensure the partnership is operating lawfully, effectively and to the standards set out in the National Association of Business Crime Partnership Codes of Practice and supported by National Police Chiefs Council.
The WRCI, which has members across Leamington, is a partnership which aims to prevent and reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in retail and licensed business premises in Warwickshire.
Secured by Design is the official police security initiative, and the accreditation is a recognised standard that is awarded to products which are proven to reach a high level of security.
The WRCI is made up of several town centre partnerships and has members across Leamington, Kenilworth, Warwick, Stratford, Alcester, Rugby, Nuneaton, Bedworth and Atherstone.
The current membership in Leamington is 48 retail premises and 37 licensed premises.
Members share data via an encrypted app on which they can also report incidents and view images of individuals who have been reported for committing crime, or have been excluded from entering a member premises because of their actions.
In the last 12 months, a total of 1068 incidents have been reported by retail members and 86 by licensing members across the Warwick District, which includes Leamington, and a total of 193 individuals have been excluded by these members.
The accreditation comes after the WRCI was awarded a £10,000 grant from Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe to specifically target and prevent prolific offending in shops and licensed premises across the county.
WRCI is a member-funded organisation, and also receives financial support from BID Leamington, the Rugby and Stratford BIDs, Warwickshire County Council, Warwickshire District Council and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire.
Stephanie Kerr, Executive Director of BID Leamington, said: “The Warwickshire Retail Crime Initiative is an essential town centre partnership in Leamington, and is something that we are very pleased to support.
“It is fantastic that the initiative has received accreditation and demonstrates just how effective it is at reducing and preventing crime and antisocial behaviour in Leamington and the wider county.
“Managing crime and antisocial behaviour requires a team effort, so it is very pleasing to see that the initiative has so many members and supporters, and we look forward to continuing to show our support going forward.”
Peter Guillaume, of the WRCI, added: “This has been a long and challenging process but with guidance and help from the National Association of Business Crime Partnerships and Warwickshire Police we are pleased that our operating standards have now met the required standards.
“This comes at a very opportune time when the scheme has been awarded a grant for targeting and preventing prolific offending in shops and licensed premises in Warwickshire, for which WRCI and its members are very grateful.”
ENDS
Caption: Peter Guillaume, of WRCI; Luke Phillips, of Rugby First, Stephanie Kerr, of BID Leamington; Derek Bradley, of WRCI; Chris Lewis, of the Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner office; Jared Seal, of WRCI; Chief Inspector Faz Chishty, of Warwickshire Police and Ricky Lewis, of the Boots Leamington security team, next to Leamington’s help point button – one of the security measures in the town.