The National Business Crime Centre was launched at the end of 2017. It is overseen by Deputy Commissioner Sir Craig Mackey, who is the National Police Chief’s Council lead for both Business Crime, and Private Security liaison.
The NBCC consists of a small, but driven team of Police officers based at New Scotland Yard, who reach out to our UK business community from one person enterprises, through to multi million pound industries with clear aims:
- To improve partnership with the business community and raise National police standards, to accurately understand and reduce the impact of crime.
- Enable businesses to target their own resources more efficiently, through effective intelligence and information exchange, disrupting organised business criminality at a National level.
- Prioritising prevention, enabling businesses to protect themselves from cyber, fraud and terrorism, by being a conduit of best practice and a centre of excellence, supporting all businesses throughout the UK.
The NBCC supports officers from all 43 Police Forces, and specialist units, to act as a conduit for sharing advice/trends nationally. NBCC areas of work fall under our three main strategic strands: Partnership, Intelligence and Prevention.
Its website is freely available as a resource for police, security, and staff in businesses, to learn, share and support each other, to prevent and combat crime. It has its own website, packed with useful information, advice and case studies which will help fight crime affecting businesses, staff and their interests.
Items on the site are split between recent and relevant news, and current guidance. There is a library of guidance produced by NBCC, partners, and third parties, as well as information about schemes and resources for the business community. We would encourage readers of TPSO to be the first to hear the latest news and developments from the NBCC by going onto the site and subscribing: subscribe here.
One of the most significant projects led by the National Business Crime Centre is PaS. This is the Police and Security Group Initiative established in 2014 and is a national, business-led group which exists to “improve collaboration between the police, private security and security teams of business.”
PaS objectives are to deliver greater effectiveness at lower cost; supporting police Crime Prevention Strategy and Counter Terrorist Strategy and Assisting with Violence Reduction and safeguarding.
PaS is formally sponsored by the Security Industry Authority, the BSIA, the National Police Chief’s Council under the Leadership of the Deputy Commissioner, and the Association of Police & Crime Commissioners. This high level endorsement has significantly improved the opportunity for building wider knowledge, respect and engagement with the Private Security Industry by the Police.
An initial PaS Survey has shown that despite reducing Police numbers, there is a fundamental lack of trust between the Private Security Industry and Policing. If the PSI is to be able to support public safety effectively, then this needs to be resolved in an appropriate way which is the core objective of PaS.
PaS is explicitly independent of Counter Terrorism; Fraud and Organised Crime activities and is focused on building the core relationship between Police and the PSI, the “boring but important” everyday issues that require development through grass roots engagement and persistence, but can form the platform for effective long-term collaboration. It operates by identifying, supporting and promoting projects and sharing best practise. PaS does not specifically manage any services, but is resourced to identify, assess, promote and support projects which can achieve its objectives.
One of its first projects has been to review the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS) to make the scheme consistent across all Forces for applications, pricing and vetting. Another has been to work with Sainsburys security teams in one part of Sussex, trialling them to double up as local ‘Business wardens.’
PaS has identified three areas of activity that are key to collaboration:
- Standards, (Training & Accreditation Information).
- Intelligence & Communications.
- Effective Collaboration
PaS now focuses on establishing a ‘National Collaboration Strategy’ to ensure that a single plan for both police and security to work to nationally and to act as the guide for all interested parties. It is also establishing a regional structure that will commit to PaS’ objectives by signposting existing capabilities and good projects to minimise duplication. Finally it plans to publicise and maintain a voluntary open register of stakeholders; initiatives and resources that promote collaboration between Private Security and Police.
Clarity, Trust and Innovation are key to the real success of PaS. In summary – Getting police & private security to work better together for safer communities.
If any TPSO readers wish to submit suitable projects or good practice demonstrating great Police and Security work, or are interested in leading on a regional PaS group, then please subscribe to the NBCC website and submit details entitled PaS.
About D.C.I Georgie Barnard
Georgie is currently a Detective Chief Inspector in the Metropolitan Police, leading a Home Office transformation project, setting up the first ever, National Business Crime Centre to support all 43 Forces, and national businesses, in tackling crime. In addition, she leads on the national Police and Security (PaS) initiative, aimed at improving collaboration between police and private security
