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Shopping is safer in Bracknell - its official!

27/01/05

Bracknell was presented with the prestigious British Retail Consortium Safer Shopping Award, at an official ceremony held in the Grange hotel today.

The award recognises the good work of the Bracknell Business Against Crime (BBAC) scheme to make Bracknell town centre a safe and secure place for shoppers.

BBAC was launched by Bracknell police in September 2003, and combines retailers and businesses; the Bracknell Regeneration Partnership; Bracknell Forest Borough Council; the Town Ranger; security officers and the Drug and Alcohol Action Team.

The award was presented by David Leigh, Regional Business Crime Manager for Action Against Business Crime, a partnership between the British Retail Consortium and the Home office set up to expand the work and impact of Business Crime Reduction Partnerships. The partnerships bring businesses, police and local authority representatives together to exchange information about offenders, set-up radio links between stores and share crime prevention advice.

Founder and former Chair of BBAC, Sgt Juli Read, accepted the award on behalf of the many people who have supported the scheme since its inception. Speeches at the event were given by Chief Inspector Rob Povey, BBAC Chairman, Ian Cramp of local store, Calico and Steve Fawke, former manager of Princess Square.

BBAC now has over 30 members in the town centre and is still growing. Within 10 weeks of the scheme being launched, Bracknell experienced a 20 per cent reduction in crime rates across the town centre over the Christmas shopping period.

Under the scheme, each partner agency has access to radios and shares information with town centre CCTV and the police. The radios are controlled 24 hours a day by security officers at Princess Square.

BBAC members share information regarding the activities and whereabouts of known criminals, ensuring that everyone is alerted to any potential threat. Having signed up to strict data protection protocols, they are issued with a target file, containing a description and pictures of any known suspects in the area. Once an individual has been convicted of a crime they can be banned from entering any of the participating stores. So far 10 exclusion notices have been issued and no-one has since re-offended.

Sgt Juli Read said: “It was an honour to accept this award on behalf of the many retailers and businesses who have supported Bracknell Business Against Crime. It has proven extremely successful and we have already seen not only a reduction in crime rates across the town centre but also an increased community spirit as we work together to keep Bracknell safe for everyone.”

“Getting this award tells everybody that Bracknell is a safe town in which to work or shop. Many local offenders tell us they no longer come into Bracknell to commit crime because they are immediately noticed.”

David Leigh, Regional Business Crime Manager for Action Against Business Crime for the British Retail Consortium, said: “The business community, working in partnership with the police and local authority, will be sharing information and will target those individuals who disrupt life in the town, committing crime and anti social behaviour.

These schemes, supported by the Home Office, will make a real contribution to making the town safer for those who live, work and visit the town.

Bracknell Business Against Crime is now part of a growing number of business crime reduction schemes and the British Retail Consortium Safer Shopping Award recognises the operational standards demanded of the accreditation”.

The Bracknell Regeneration Partnership has sponsored a part-time administrator for the scheme which works hand in hand with the successful Pub and Drug Watch. Bracknell Regeneration Partnership Marketing Manager Helen Barnett said: “It is great to see so many local businesses and retailers working together to make Bracknell town centre a place where people feel that they can shop and work in safety. We are delighted with the work of the BBAC, and winning this award is yet another example of the scheme’s success. An integral part of the ongoing regeneration process is to create a town centre where everybody feels secure, and receiving this prestigious award is a step towards achieving this important target.”