With the elections due to take place in just ten days, discussions are gathering pace around the role of newly-created Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and their biggest task: the delivery of policing reform.
The issue of how best to deliver police reform has been near the top of the Government’s agenda ever since October 2010, when the Chancellor outlined plans for cuts in police budgets of as much as 20%.
At the time, concerns were raised over the implications that cuts could have on service delivery, leading to the BSIA embarking on a long-term public affairs programme aimed at engaging with Government officials to instigate discussions around the opportunities for private and public sectors to work together in overcoming some of these challenges.
Two years later and the imminent introduction of PCCs is the latest development in this story.
Achieving cost savings, improving efficiencies
Directly accountable to the electorate, PCCs have been tasked with achieving cost savings and improving efficiencies across their force areas and, as such, are likely to be open to new ways of working.
These ‘new ways of working’ could encompass increasing the role of the private sector through outsourced opportunities to provide back office and support functions such as managing cordons, taking witness statements and general custody suite management.
Meeting with a number of PCC candidates at the Conservative Party Conference last month, BSIA CEO James Kelly was keen to promote the significant savings that increased partnership working can bring.
Now, think tank Reform has taken this message one step further, publishing a new report which suggests that PCCS should be given bigger budgets. The report encourages PCCs to “be creative and buy-in new providers of justice and emergency services, including private sector companies, building on the success of competitions for prisons and police support.”
The report, entitled ‘Doing it Justice: Integrating Criminal Justice and Emergency Services through Police and Crime Commissioners’, was published in October and argues that Commissioners in their current form may be discredited because they do not have the full power to cut crime and improve safety for their areas.
It suggests that ministers should double Commissioners’ nationwide budgets to GB pound 27 billion: that’s equivalent to more than GB pound 1,000 for every family in England and Wales.
Benefits for the public sector
Despite these recommendations, the BSIA learned through its discussions at Conference it’s likely that PCCs’ budgets will remain unchanged, at least for their first year of tenure, as these budgets would have been set prior to the elections.
However, the pressure to deliver cost savings on behalf of the local electorate is likely to lead to increased opportunities for the private security industry – a sentiment echoed by many of the PCC candidates whom the BSIA met at the Conservative Party Conference.
“Working alongside police, resilience forums and emergency planning officers remains a priority for many of our members,” said Kelly, “with previous partnerships demonstrating both operational benefits and significant cost savings to the public sector.”
According to another report, this time published by Perpetuity Research and Consultancy International, these savings could add up to up to GB pound 1 billion.
“The security industry contributes enormously in protecting the assets of commercial organisations,” added Kelly. “It’s in a great position to lend itself to assisting the police and emergency services if called on to do so”.
Private sector assistance with public sector reforms
Research results in Reform’s report also suggest that, in 2009, the UK had the most expensive law and order system in the developed world (costing 2.8% of GDP as opposed to 2.3% for the USA). As a result, criminal justice services should expect further cuts in budgets in the next Spending Review.
The report argues that, with wider powers, PCCs will be able to achieve that.
“Reform’s report makes for a very interesting read indeed, and the comparisons it draws to other countries demonstrate the fact that public sector reform – including budget cuts – can indeed be achieved with the help of the private sector.”
In conclusion, Kelly explained: “The BSIA is planning to host a further roundtable meeting in December this year to engage with newly-elected PCCs. I look forward to moving this issue forward, and ensuring that our industry is represented from the beginning in a new policing landscape.”
The full report by Reform can be downloaded from the BSIA website
Export Colloquium: educating the security sector on export opportunities
The BSIA’s Export Council was recently involved in hosting an International Export Colloquium, during which an Industry Briefing Course was held in conjunction with the UKTI’s Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO) and the fire, security, safety and policing sectors.
The Industry Briefing Course aimed to inform UKTI’s commercial officers from around the world – including countries as diverse as Brazil, Russia and Colombia – about the capabilities of UK businesses in these sectors such that they might better promote, represent and source leads for UK companies.
As part of the Industry Briefing Course, the International Export Colloquium Day also allowed members of the BSIA, the FIA, the BSIF and ADS to come together in order to hear 14 commercial officers outline the market opportunities in their countries.
Paul King, commercial director of BSIA member company Elmdene International, praised the event.
“Elmdene chose to attend this event as it gives a very good insight and easy connection to potential business in the countries involved,” he said. “It’s a great way of meeting people who have a defined local role in promoting UK companies and services.”
King added: “With representatives from multiple countries attending, the day offered well-structured presentations as well as one-to-one sessions allowing us to ask questions face to face and help gain a better understanding of a country, its potential opportunities and business cultures.”
He also highlighted the long-term benefits of attending the event.
“You can draw on the Trade Advisors’ local knowledge and, after the day has concluded, derive additional help with general research, market analysis and visit planning. This event conveniently targeted a number of countries of significant interest to Elmdene, and has provided us with good information which will help us to plan our export business targets and activity in the coming months and into the future.”
For more information about the benefits of belonging to the BSIA’s Export Council visit the dedicated web page
The Big Issue: BSIA members invited to showcase innovative technologies at exclusive Metropolitan Police Service event
Later this month, BSIA members will be given the opportunity to exhibit at an exclusive event organised by the Resilience Industry Suppliers’ Community (RISC) and the Directorate of Information (the technology division of the Metropolitan Police Service).
This invitation-only gathering is set to bring together security suppliers and the police to explore ways in which innovative technologies might be applied to frontline policing.
This is the second event of its kind, the first having taken place in July this year and which was attended by several BSIA members. It led to the Metropolitan Police Service evaluating a number of new products, including a mobile credit card reader (which the Met is now looking to tender in early 2013 subject to a review process).
November’s event will be specifically tailored to vehicle technology and personal issue and deployable equipment. With over 200 police officers set to attend, the day promises an ideal opportunity for security providers to receive an in-depth view of front line officers’ requirements.
For BSIA member companies wishing to take part, the deadline to apply is fast approaching. Therefore, all submissions must now be made by this coming Friday (9 November) at 12 noon, after which time the RISC panel will meet to discuss applications (with successful companies being notified on or before Tuesday 13 November).
“The opportunity to present at such high-profile and exclusive events is a core benefit of BSIA membership as it provides our members with an added opportunity to establish close working relationships with the police and showcase their most recent innovations to a captive audience,” stated the BSIA’s event manager Christine Brooks.
“I would encourage all existing members with products relating to vehicle technology and personal security equipment to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity.”
*BSIA members interested in applying for the event can find out how to do so by contacting Christine on (telephone) 0845 389 0743 or via email: [email protected]
**For non-member companies interested in finding out more about the BSIA’s involvement in RISC – as well as the wider benefits of belonging to the BSIA – access the Join The BSIA pages of the Trade Association’s website or call the BSIA’s business development manager, Sharon Mughal, on 07803 891742
Amanda Beesley is PR and communications manager at the British Security Industry Association
