“We couldn’t agree more with the recent comments made by Georgina Barnard, TP Crime Reduction & Partnerships for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on the importance of sharing business data to help create a unified, collaborative approach to fight business crime across the country.
Speaking at a recent retail crime conference, Georgina highlighted the growing importance of businesses taking a stand together to take preventative action to fight criminal incidents affecting the UK’s business community. We’re delighted to see such a positive move by law enforcement to recognise how businesses are trying to work more collaboratively.
Georgina’s comments follow a long period of stretched recourses and pressure to cut budgets, leaving many police forces focusing their efforts on the most serious incidents of crime. As a result, many businesses have been reluctant to report offences to the police, due to a lack of confidence in the police’s ability to progress an investigation, but now, more than ever, is the time we can change this.
For example, using closer collaboration and an evidence-based approach; the National Business Crime Solution has supported a number of businesses to reduce their exposure to business crime whilst also providing a safer environment for customers and staff. In fact, the latest half-year results reveal the initiative has helped to cut crimes costing over £650,000 a month and as new businesses sign up, the potential for savings could run into the millions.
In addition, by working with law enforcement officials we can not only ensure cross border, serious and organised criminals are pursued but by working with police analysts we can advise businesses on criminal trends and any particular hot spots for increased illicit activities. That’s not to say the police haven’t been doing a good job, but until we collaborate across the whole country – we’ll never have a full or detailed enough picture of the state of business crime in the UK to make a real difference.
In order to continue providing this service it’s up to the UK’s business community who are at the heart of this not-for-profit initiative. Unfortunately, the reality is that police today do not have enough resources or time to put these cases together. However we choose to monitor and report crime, there will be challenges ahead, but by closer collaboration between UK businesses and law enforcement, we can effectively build a profile of business crime in the UK.”