Press Release

TOOL TO HELP BUSINESSES FIGHT CRIME ROLLED OUT ACROSS CAMDEN

23 January 2007
 
Camden Business Against Crime has been rolled out across the borough following its success in Camden Town.

CBAC is a membership scheme for businesses which provides them with the necessary tools to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour. These include police photograph sharing and access to a central database containing the identity of persistent offenders.

The scheme has been extended following its success in Camden Town.

CBAC has a dedicated Business Crime Co-ordinator and provides the following:

Access to photographs of the most prolific people involved in crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour.
A radio link to notify Camden Council’s community safety CCTV control room, and other users of the radio link, of incidents occurring to allow them to monitor the situation and take appropriate action. (1)
An Exclusion Notice scheme barring persistent offenders and troublemakers from all members’ premises.
If a business is targeted by a shoplifter or vandal, the co-ordinator visits the owner and fills out an incident report which is fed into BICS, a dedicated software package which enables information to be collated, shared and analysed for members. The information enables the co-ordinator to track persistent offenders and use the information to take further action.
Cllr Ben Rawlings, Camden Council’s Executive Member for Community Safety, said:

“The key to the scheme’s success is for businesses to work together as partners more effectively. Like other communities, businesses also suffer from crime and anti-social behaviour, which has a negative effect for their customers and local residents as well as for businesses and their staff.

“By rolling-out the CBAC scheme, we are supporting and encouraging the business community to help themselves by working together, and with the council, to improve their security and to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour when it happens."

To join the scheme contact CBAC co-ordinator Mark Schram on 020 7974 5199 or email mark.schram@camden.gov.uk