Community Safety Accreditation Schemes (CSAS) are a Home Office initiative enabling the chief of police for each force area to designate limited but targeted police powers to employees of non-police organisations who contribute towards community safety.
In London’s Victoria, 15 security officers from Ultimate Security Services will now be accredited with limited powers under the Police Reform Act 2002. This move has been extremely well received by the business community in SW1 and is actively enhancing the police service’s initiative for a safer Victoria.
The initiative promises to establish and promote a safer, more secure environment for businesses, visitors and residents within the Victoria CSAS zone. In reality, the work of accredited staff will complement the efforts of both the Metropolitan Police Service and the British Transport Police in reducing local crime and occurrences of anti-social behaviour.
Under the terms of the Victoria CSAS, the Met has agreed to designate the following police powers to Ultimate Security Services:
- power to request a name and address for fixed penalty notices and offences that cause injury, alarm and distress to another person, or damage to (or the loss of) another’s property
- power to request the name and address of a person who has committed an offence of begging
- power to request the name and address of a person acting in an anti-social manner
- power to request a person to stop drinking in a designated public place and to confiscate and dispose of alcohol being consumed within a designated public place
- power to confiscate alcohol from a person under the age of 18 years
- power to confiscate cigarettes and tobacco products from a person under the age of 16 years
- power to stop pedal cycles where the accredited person has reason to believe that a person has committed the offence of riding on the footpath
Handling crime and security in “a more direct manner”
“While Ultimate Security Services has already been successful in reducing crime in the area to date,” explained the company’s commercial director, David Hutler, “the delegated powers will offer enhanced responsibilities and allow the team to handle crime and security issues in a more direct manner.”
Hutler continued: “Police forces which have introduced CSAS within their communities have already indicated benefits of crime reduction, improved communication and cohesion and public reassurance. It’s also found that CSAS improves police effectiveness and efficiencies by freeing up police time and resources.”
Hutler also told SMT Online: “The CSAS provides the Victoria BID with an opportunity to complement the business policing team, and the team from Ultimate Security Services will provide extra ‘eyes and ears’ in SW1. The scheme will help to provide a safe and secure destination for all who live in the area, work there and visit.”
The Police Reform Act 2002 enables police chiefs to establish and maintain a Community Safety Accreditation Scheme. Organisations who provide community safety patrols and who satisfy a range of policy requirements may apply to become accredited. Employees of such organisations like Ultimate Security Services who have been trained to approved standards may then apply for accreditation themselves.
Ultimate Security Services has satisfied strict criteria that include enhanced vetting and training standards, equal opportunities and race relation policies and approved complaints and accountability procedures which have enabled the company to be awarded accredited status.
Similarly, employees have to satisfy strict standards in terms of vetting and must receive training in relevant areas of the law, the use of powers and appropriate procedures. This includes Human Rights, race relations and equal opportunities.
“Our team of officers will wear the uniform of Ultimate Security Services upon which the Home Office approved national accreditation badge will be displayed,” concluded Hutler.
“They are also required to carry an identification card which confirms the powers the individual is able to exercise.”