Community Volunteers undertake virtual Crime Prevention workshop

In support of Stronger North Stonehouse, part of the Home Office Safer Streets initiative, local community volunteers from Plymouth have taken part in virtual Crime Prevention Workshops, delivered by the Police Crime Prevention Academy in conjunction with Devon and Cornwall Police.

The bespoke workshops were organised by the force Crime Reduction and Business Crime Lead Bob Bunney, providing participants with an overview of problem-solving and crime prevention practices to enhance their understanding of how this can increase their ability to help reduce crime and disorder in their local community.

Partners from a range of organisations including the local council, housing providers and other community organisations joined the community volunteers at the workshops, with the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner concluding with a Q&A session.

Head of Academy Guy Collyer said:

“The Academy was delighted to have the opportunity to work with Devon and Cornwall Police to develop and deliver the virtual workshops, which were delivered over a number of early evening sessions to ensure that they were accessible to as many people as possible. The Academy tutors can provide virtual delivery via Teams to meet the current and future training needs of customers across a range of accredited qualifications, bespoke events and CPD courses.”

Crime Reduction and Business Crime Lead of Devon and Cornwall Police, Bob Bunney, said:

“At the outset of the project there was a clear ambition to increase the awareness of crime prevention methodology, help people understand the benefits, how they could do more for themselves to deter crime and in turn help others within their community by enabling action. Working alongside the academy tutor to provide the local perspective and respond to questions worked very well. Feedback from the early sessions has been very positive and the final sessions in March is very promising with residents, landlords and councillors having registered”.

Police Crime Prevention Academy

The Police Crime Prevention Academy is the approved centre for the awarding body ProQual. The Academy is part of Police Crime Prevention Initiatives, the police owned, non-profit body that works on behalf of the UK police on crime prevention and police demand reduction schemes, such as Secured by Design. The Academy offers a range of accredited qualifications, courses and bespoke events, and is the established supplier to the police service for crime prevention learning and development.