Earlier in the year the Police Crime Prevention Academy welcomed two police officers from Canada for a bespoke Level 5 Designing Out Crime accredited vocational qualification, delivered by Academy trainer and assessor Mark O’Callaghan.

The training followed discussions that began last year when a Canadian police delegation visited the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) in London. During the visit, Robin Merrett, Board Director for Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (Police CPI) introduced them to Guy Ferguson, CEO of Police CPI, who explained the organisation’s work and the UK’s approach to designing out crime, sparking their interest in learning more.

While crime prevention is a shared priority for police forces around the world, the UK’s approach is distinctive. Many countries, including Canada, apply the principles of Crime Prevention Through Environment Design (CPTED) and employ practitioners who advise on developments, schools and public spaces. However, the UK’s combination of specialist Designing Out Crime Officers (DOCOs), Police Preferred Specification security products and its integration of Secured by Design standards into the built environment, from the initial planning stage through to the completion, creates a joined-up and comprehensive approach to crime prevention.

Following further discussions, the Police Crime Prevention Academy developed a bespoke training course for Sergeant Chris Rainer and Constable Eric Shuh from York Regional Police, tailored to the challenges they face as a force and their specific learning requirements.

Like many police forces around the globe, York Regional Police face a range of increasing crime challenges while balancing the demands on policing resources. Typical crime types include residential burglaries, vehicle crime, fraud, cybercrimes, violence and commercial crime. Significant housing developments across the region also prompted the force to explore how crime prevention can be embedded into developments from the earliest planning stages, helping to create safer communities, while reducing demand on policing.

The vocational qualification focused on equipping the delegates with the knowledge and practical skills required to understand the UK’s approach to crime prevention. Course content included:

• The role of the designing out crime officer, and review of the SARA problem solving approach (Scanning, Analysis, Response and Assessment)
• 10 principles of Crime Prevention and the Site Security Survey Process
• Understanding the purpose of testing and certification of security products and their application
• Understanding the role of Planning System Legislation and Guidance
• Interpreting plans and drawings
• Compartmentation and fire safety

The delegates also benefitted from presentations by several guest speakers including Police Sergeant Martin Hubbard from the Metropolitan Designing Out Crime Unit, who discussed the role of DOCOs and their links with CTSA (Counter Terrorism Security Advisors).

Michael Brooke, Head of Government Advocacy and Police Engagement at Police CPI, provided an overview of the UK’s crime prevention landscape, and Police Constable Lee Warwick from the Metropolitan DOCO unit presented a case study on the award-winning Silk District development in East London.

The delegates also undertook site visits to Westminster Cathedral where they carried out a security survey of a publicly accessible building, and Elephant Park in south London. The mixed-use regeneration project is near completion and will deliver around 3,000 new homes, alongside shops, restaurants, education facilities and community spaces.

The visit to Elephant Park enabled the officers to see first-hand how Secured by Design principles can be incorporated into large-scale developments that successfully integrate residential, commercial and public spaces.

Sgt. Chris Rainer said: “Around Toronto and surrounds we are seeing huge vertical cities being development, with some accommodating more than 100,000 people. It was useful to visit Elephant Park as it brought everything we have learnt to life, showing how crime prevention is designed into a development from the earliest stages. We also see the value of working more closely with developers and planners, building partnerships to create safer communities, reduce future demands on policing so that we can best serve the public.”

Cst. Eric Shuh added: “We don’t have a role like the DOCO in Canada, and so much of the specialist knowledge is self-taught, for example the depth of knowledge around which specialist security glass to recommend. The course has been really useful, and we come away with a lot of information. When we get back to Canada, we will have to be the pioneers and translate all that we have learnt and present our ideas to the leadership team. We’ll also start to involve all the relevant stakeholders, for example city planners, fire departments, academics, power companies, architects.”

Guy Ferguson, CEO for Police CPI added:” It’s incredibly rewarding to see conversations that began during a visit to London develop into this bespoke training course with the Academy. Across the globe, police forces share the same goal of preventing crime and creating safer communities, and it’s been a privilege to share the UK’s approach to designing out crime. We hope Chris and Eric return to Canada with new ideas and practical skills that will help shape future developments, strengthen partnerships, and reduce opportunities for crime.”