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Combined action
As a function of traditional policing, the “beat” system evolved as the most effective way of deterring potential offenders.
Antisocial behaviour is discouraged by the knowledge that a policeman is close by and can be summoned quickly.
In recent years, the escalation of serious offending – predominantly terrorism and computer fraud – has meant that police resources are often diverted away from street crime, shoplifting, street mugging, pavement drug dealing and alcohol-fuelled thuggery.
That is not to say that such offences are ignored – simply that by dealing with them in a reactive fashion and measuring success against response time targets, some police forces may be seen to have lost touch with the original purpose of their existence.
Understandably, businesses are looking to provide their own responses.
The Almere strategy
Former Government Minister Annemarie Jorritsma-Lebbink has been the Mayor of Almere since 2003 and is the driving force behind the foundation of the SBBA – the Foundation for the Security of Industrial Premises in Almere.This collective enterprise embraces the broad range of commercial activity: wholesale, retail, construction and warehousing.
Together they have devised an overall strategy that involves close co-operation with both the private security sector – G4S Security Services (Netherlands) – and the local police, aimed at tackling the problem head-on.
Over 700 companies, large and small, have bought into this collective approach in Almere.
Annemarie Jorritsma says, “The SBBA was actually born out of misery. When we started in 1995, the rate of crime against industry had reached an absolute limit.” She adds that although they have now achieved an astonishing drop in criminality, they recognise that the system needs constant refinement if it is to stay ahead of the game.
The main component of this success seems to be the way in which all the players function well together.
The private security foot patrols are co-ordinated with the routines of individual company staff while increased use of CCTV and sophisticated alarm systems has proved especially effective.
Crucially, the local police have become closely involved in the initiative and regular meetings of all parties ensure that specific problems are analysed and preventative strategies refined in the light of new intelligence and the scheduled movement of valuable goods.
The Antwerp Meir
Begun more than 15 years ago, the collective security initiative run in the Antwerp Meir shopping district is probably the longest established and most efficient scheme of its kind. One of Belgium’s premier retail precincts, the Meir is on a par with London’s Oxford Street and Madison Avenue in New York. Enormous numbers of people flow through the area and the potential for crime at every level is considerable.
Although international chain stores such as H&M are predominant, around 40 shopping outlets on the Meir, including independents, take part in the enterprise.
Again, the success of the arrangements have depended on close collaboration between the retail consortium, the regular police and a private security company, deploying a mixture of resources for maximum effect.
The input of G4S Security Services (Belgium) personnel is tailored to the requirements of individual stores, and specific levels of security response are offered according to the budget of each participating member.
The strategy is underpinned by foot patrols deployed at staggered start times and which are able to respond to alarm calls from clients and to seek reinforcement from colleagues should a serious incident develop.
If, following the customer’s instructions, police are called, the level of cooperation is such that they invariably attend promptly.
Business Unit manager for G4S, Robby Van Mele, points out that whereas in other cities large stores deploy only static guards, the flexibility of the Meir system pays dividends with ten operatives patrolling the Meir throughout each day. This visible presence creates a deterrent to crime that benefits everyone – and a reduction in street delinquency of all types has been achieved.
This is clearly a dynamic answer to retail security problems, but further adjustments are being sought. Rather than having a tariff system of services offered to different stores who buy in according to their budgets, it is hoped to achieve a simpler, unitary arrangement of meeting the overall cost.
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Combined action
