You are in:
Lewisham reduces town centre crime by 62% with NBIS
Lewisham Borough Business Against Crime (LBBAC), a business crime reduction partnership (BCRP), has reduced town centre crime by 62%, as a result of using NBIS (National Business Intelligence System) from Hicom in collaboration with targeted policing strategies and crime education initiatives throughout the borough.
NBIS is a web-based data sharing technology developed by Risk Management and Crime Reduction software specialists, Hicom. Using NBIS, LBBAC is able to share data on offenders quickly and easily between retailers, the Police and other crime reduction agencies nationwide, helping to ensure the borough remains a safe area for visitors, business owners and residents.
Commenting on the benefits that NBIS is bringing to LBBAC, Martyn Grover, Business Crime Reduction Partnership Manager, says, “We originally implemented NBIS approximately two years ago to help us track and record criminal incidents that were happening within the borough. Using NBIS we are able to input the details of each incident that happens and then share this information with the Police and local retailers. Using this intelligence we can then raise awareness of individuals committing particular crimes and provide retailers with advice on what preventative measures they should put in place.”
“For example, if a pair of distraction thieves are operating in the town centre, we can issue an alert to all local retailers advising them to be on their guard,” explains Grover. “If we have images available of the offenders then we are also able to share these with partnership members and the Police so that everyone can be aware of whom these people are and take the appropriate action.”
As a result of using NBIS as part of a targeted Policing strategy, LBBAC has experienced a 62% year on year reduction in business crime throughout the borough, and has cut anti-social behaviour in the town centre by 67% compared to last year. Grover explains, “Over the past two years we have forged a great relationship with the town centre policing team and have been using NBIS as our primary intelligence sharing system. In tandem, we have also been hosting a high profile education initiative within the local schools which has been highly successful, resulting in a 67% reduction in anti-social behaviour in the town centre.”
Grover concludes, “The aim of LBBAC is to make Lewisham a safer place to live, work and visit. By working in partnership with the local authorities and NBIS we are striding ahead in our pursuit to achieve this as the figures clearly show.”
