View Tilley Award winners 2003

 

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Tilley Awards 2003

The Tilley Award Winners have been published for 2003. The awards were set up by the Home Office Policing and Reducing Crime Unit (now the Crime and Policing Group) in 1999 to encourage and recognise good practice in implementing problem-oriented policing (POP). The Award, funded by the Home Office, pays for winners to attend the Annual International Problem-Oriented Policing Conference in San Diego; this usually provides the opportunity for winners to present their project at the conference.

An additional third award has been made this year, recognising contributions made by crime and disorder reduction partnerships
(CDRPs). Awards have been categorised as: Crime and disorder reduction, Organisational support, and Effective partnerships

Winner: Crime and Disorder Reduction category

Julie McNerlin and Samantha Allen
Police Service of Northern Ireland
‘Tackling City Centre Assaults in Foyle District Command Unit (DCU)’

Londonderry is the largest City in the North West of Northern Ireland,
suffering from high and rising levels of ‘Offences Against the Person’ in recent years.
Organised attacks on police officers coupled with a high terrorist threat make day-to-day policing problematic and complex.

In the year 2001/2002, assault was the highest volume crime in Foyle DCU, with 42% occurring in the City Centre. An Assault Reduction Strategy was set up to tackle the problem during September 2002.

A number of underlying causes for City Centre assaults were identified, including:

  • assaults being largely concentrated around pubs and clubs at closing time

  • problems with crowd dispersal and lack of transport provision

  • high proportion of assaults resulting in serious injury

  • evidence of gang related assaults.

Recommendations formulated to deal with problems formed the strategy basis. They included a number of problem solving initiatives implemented in conjunction with multi-agency partnerships, combined with targeted police operations involving high visibility policing. The City Centre Initiative agreed to front the project, broadening ownership of the problem and responses. As a result, City Centre assaults have

  • have fallen by 43% in a 6-month period (compared to previous year)

  • dropped by approximately 183 fewer assaults in the six-month period.

The results of this project have far surpassed police and partner expectations, with principles having been adopted as Best Practice within Foyle
DCU, with regular use in a variety of other problems, firmly backed by management.
Contact Julie McNerlin and Samantha Allen on: 028 7137 9710

Winner: Organisational Support category

Neil Henson
Metropolitan Police Service
‘Problem Solving Process Implementation Programme’.

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) re-launched Problem-Solving in 2001.
Consequently, training needs for police and business partners were identified requiring problem-solving training on all 32 Boroughs. In meeting their needs the following objectives were identified:

  • design of an implementation programme overcoming barriers discovered whilst conducting research.

  • design of a training programme incorporating additional skills enabling practitioners to apply problem solving.

  • implement a monitoring system that captures best practice, working in the long-term to reduce crime, the number of repeat calls, and generally improve the quality of life of Londoners.

In 2001, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Tim Godwin introduced the ‘Operational Policing Model’ (OPM). The model demonstrates a lasting need for problem-solving and comprises six elements to be adopted across the 32 London Policing Boroughs:

  • investigation

  • forensics

  • targeting

  • intelligence

  • diversion

  • problem-solving.

Growing organisational demands on the MPS required the re-launch of Problem-Solving to support the reduction of strain on the Service.

The problem response

Research findings revealed lack of time, money and resources as the main barriers to effective problem solving. The Unit’s groundwork resulted in a two-day course divided into four half-day modules, introducing students to the Problem-Solving Process (PSP) and associated skills.

The impact of the response and how this was measured

  • Over 80 problem-solving initiatives were started involving police and business partners last year.

  • A recent inspection of the past 600 evaluation sheets shows a 97% satisfaction rate, above the
    Problem Solving Unit (PSU) student satisfaction target of 90%.

  • Over the last financial year, the Unit cost the MPS £140,000 in salary and training equipment.

  • There is no cost implication for any Borough to receive the training, as delivery of the operational policing model is centrally funded.

Contact: Neil Henson 020 7321 9033

Winner: Partnership category

Robert Murdie
Police Service of Northern Ireland
On behalf of the Get Home Safe Partnership for ‘Get Home Safe’

The Get Home Safe campaign was developed to combat rising alcohol related violence levels
in South Belfast, Northern Ireland. Alcohol related crime, up 40% over the previous year, was accounting for almost 20% of the total crime in the area. Key issues related to this were:

  • an upsurge in South Belfast licensed premises from 274 venues (January 2001) to 311 (January 2002)

  • the rise in numbers of people socialising within the same area

  • the above increases not being matched by improved or additional transport.

By developing a partnership approach to tackle the problem, combining strategic policing, focused marketing and
a public information campaign, the Get Home Safe initiative prioritised action. Those targeted were the most vulnerable to alcohol-related crime and the fear of such crime.

Independent evaluation of the campaign showed that:

  • overall assault rate had reduced 19.2%

  • serious assaults had reduced 33%

  • the number of people with serious injuries seeking victim support had reduced 20%.

The marketing campaign created successful recall awareness amongst 87% of the target age group, with 40% claiming the campaign changed their behaviour positively.

Home Office research estimates serious assault costs to be £130,000, in reference to policing, hospital, courts and compensation costs. On this basis a potential savings of £10,000,000 has been achieved.
Contact: Sgt. Robert Murdie 02890 700568

Download “Tilley Awards
2003”

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Last update:  17/09/03