The SCR Chambers: East Midlands
‘Partners in crime’ in Chesterfield - Hardyal Dhindsa, Police and Crime Commissioner (centre) and Jackie Roberts, Crime Reduction Project Manager at the Chamber (centre right) with representatives of the new scheme
Crime-cutting scheme will make shopping safer
A pioneering online scheme to help make High Street shopping safer and cut crime is being adopted in Derbyshire. The county’s Business Crime Reduction
Close to 100 guests attended the prestigious event at Makeney Hall in Belper, Derbyshire
participated in some great CSR activities. “We are keen to create more opportunities for
businesses to engage in CSR and see ourselves as having a role to play in linking businesses and communities,” he said. Scott added: “As a Chamber, we want to
create more opportunities for businesses to engage in CSR activity and want the Chamber to be a conduit to link successful business with thriving local communities.” Kevin and Scott then announced the finalists
for the Chambers Business Awards 2019 and thanked all the sponsors, in particular principal sponsor Mazars. The Chamber’s awards are the only ones
locally to offer winners a chance to compete in regional and national heats of the British Chambers of Commerce Awards. The winners of the East Midlands Chamber
Business Awards are announced at gala dinners held in each of the three counties in September. Winners of specific awards and the overall
Business of the Year award winner for each county will automatically go through to the regional heats of the British Chambers of Commerce awards and could go on to represent the region at the BCC national awards.
For a full list of sponsors and shortlisted finalists for the East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire) Business Awards, visit
www.emc-dnl.co.uk/businessawards
Partnership will see Derbyshire Police, the Chamber, retailers and participating local authorities all working together for the common goal. The award-winning Chamber
already operates Shopwatch - a successful radio-based alert system for retailers – in Chesterfield, Bakewell, Matlock and Staveley. But the new scheme
operates online, offering immediate and wider dissemination of information and making it easier for the police to create intelligence for reports to steer operations or evidence for prosecutions. The idea is the
brainchild of the team behind the Chamber’s Shopwatch scheme. Project Leader Jackie
Roberts said: “Retail crime is one of the few crimes that continues to grow and affects everyone. Even low-level retail crime has major implications for business turnover and viability, with knock- on effects on the local community and economy. “During the past 18–24 months, town and
city centre retailers have reported significant increases in anti-social behaviour and associated crimes. “With resources stretched in most
businesses and police forces, smarter working methods are needed to reduce the issues retailers face and to highlight offenders. “Ever-tighter controls of resources mean that the police and shopkeepers are finding it
harder and harder to bring offenders to justice, which creates an environment that encourages further offences.” Under the new initiative, businesses would
sign up to the web-based service. They could then upload information about shoplifters operating in an area and report other crimes. They would also receive instant updates through the website and other online means, such as messaging, social media or emails, alerting them to crimes in their area as they happen, including descriptions of people to watch for. The service will be staffed
by dedicated operators who would alert police and other
businesses immediately as crimes are reported, with the aim of reducing crime through partnership working. Jackie added: “By bringing
the scheme online and working with partners most closely involved in trying to reduce crime or those most affected by it, the Chamber can help members and other businesses to reduce this blight on the retail community.”
Chris Hobson, the Chamber’s Director of
Policy, said: “The Chamber’s vision is to enhance East Midlands businesses and communities and this is an obvious and very positive way of delivering that objective. We are very pleased to be working with the police on this initiative.” The Police and Crime Commissioner’s office
and the Chamber are jointly funding the scheme initially, the PCC contributing £30,000 to the cost. The new scheme will also support existing
pubwatch or shopwatch projects in Derbyshire.
Summer 2019 CHAMBERconnect 45
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96
