Last week the Metropolitan Police Business Crime Reduction Hub (BCRH) held a conference on the reduction of business crime in the capital at The Hippodrome, London. This event brought together representatives from businesses, local authorities and the police to better understand how to improve collaboration and data sharing to protect businesses. Attendees found out more on best practice in the retail, industrial and night time sectors of London’s economy and what the Police are doing to protect businesses. It was also an opportunity to find out about the latest crime prevention advice from experts.
The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC), Sophie Linden, was unable to attend the conference but expressed her expectation that this event would help us build even stronger relationships and that we get into the habit of sharing information and best practice.
Linking up local authority community safety with borough police and local business groups is both a simple and an inspired idea. Real networks are made up of real people who see the value in working with each other.
Sophie Linden, Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime
A number of presentations were given which included:
- Counter Terrorism
- Tackling fraud and online crime
- Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB)
- Information sharing
- Licensing and alcohol strategies
The Business Crime Reduction Hub
The BCRH was created in 2013 to encourage a consistent approach to tackling business crime throughout the MPS. Through liaising with the business community, MOPAC and local police, the BCRH works to improve crime prevention and reduce crime affecting businesses throughout London.
The hub aims to improve partnership and communication with the business community. It can provide specialist help and advice to communities who would like to form a Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) and to existing BCRPs that are looking to improve their own services.
MOPAC works in close partnership with the BCRH to deliver our Business Crime Strategy. The hub coordinates strategic engagement with business communities to help them reduce crime and provides practical advice on how to avoid becoming victims of crime. It is also closely involved in setting up business partnerships and schemes to prevent and reduce business crime.
Police and Crime Plan
The event comes at an important time as we are preparing for the Mayor, Sadiq Khan, to launch a new Police and Crime Plan for London. It will set out our priorities and ambitions for safety in the city over the next four years. The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC), Sophie Linden, has already met with business leaders and senior police officers to hear first-hand what the top police and crime priorities are.
The DMPC convened two business crime round table events in October 2016 to discuss the impact of cyber-crime. She met with representative from business organisations, law enforcement, the Met police, City of London police and the National Crime Agency. At a further event she met with business leaders from retail, hospitality, and entertainment and night-time economy sectors to discuss policing challenges and opportunities for collaboration.