Category: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

The relentless investigative of forces work will continue 

The ongoing activity follows the unrest which spiralled after the tragic killing of three young girls in Southport.

Officers and prosecutors across the country have been working tirelessly to identify individuals involved in the riots as well as those responsible for spreading and inciting hate online – and bring them to justice.

Since July 29, police have a made a total of 1,511 arrests, and together with the Crown Prosecution Service have brought a total number of 960 charges.

Please note that the above data is a summary up to 17/09/24.

Arrest figures are subject to change due to data extraction methods.

Police forces and campaigners across the country have been recognised for their commitment and determination to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG).

At an event in central London today, police forces, campaigners, ambassadors, charities and support organisations came together with police chiefs and the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, to recognise the pioneering work happening across policing to make communities safer for women and girls.

The awards also recognise the work that forces are undertaking to radically change the way they investigate rape and serious sexual offences, known as Operation Soteria. Under Soteria, which was implemented across all forces in England and Wales in July last year, policing is working to deliver sustainable improvements to procedural and outcome justice for victims of rape ad serious sexual offences.

Award winners ranged from individuals creating culture change and improved professional standards in their police force, through to valuable police work in schools to raise awareness of VAWG and misogyny to inspire future generations.

Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for violence against women and girls, said: “Policing is on an important journey to transform the way it tackles violence against women and girls, and we have made fundamental changes to improve the way we investigate and record crimes and support victims throughout the process.

“I am incredibly proud of the individuals, teams and forces across the country working hard to make a real difference to the lives and safety of women and girls.

“The passion and dedication of those recognised today shows that there is hope, there are green shoots of change, and there is so much more we can do to work together across the board to create a society where victims are heard, supported and protected, and where perpetrators can no longer inflict harm on others.

“On a personal note, I am heartened by the work forces are doing to turn the tide on VAWG, there is real opportunity and determination to get our response right for victims and women and girls. We must grasp it.”

Among those recognised included:

• Lisa Squire – mother of Libby Squire and active VAWG ambassador: Libby Squire was a university student who tragically disappeared in 2019 and was later found to have been raped and murdered. Her killer had a history of sexual offences. Since then, Libby’s mother, Lisa, has passionately campaigned for personal safety awareness among young students and advocated for tougher sentences for men convicted of non-contact sexual offences, like voyeurism, along with therapy support. 

  Lisa collaborates closely with policing while balancing her full-time job as a maternity nursery nurse. She has supported multiple forces, including educating officers from Thames Valley Police and the Metropolitan Police about the importance of being a supportive first contact for survivors.

  Recently, she has been involved in creating an educational resource for KS4 students and a campaign aimed at university students, set to launch during Fresher’s Week. 

  Lisa shares her and Libby’s story at universities, schools, and conferences, leaving audiences inspired by her passion for change and education. Her dedication to raising awareness about VAWG and its various crime types is invaluable, making a significant impact on how young people perceive personal safety.  

• A multi-agency stalking unit led by the Metropolitan Police Service, NHS North London Mental Health Partnership, Probation Service and the Suzy Lamplugh Trust: This unit focuses on perpetrator behaviour change through mental health interventions and probation management while providing essential advocacy services for victims, who are predominantly female.

  Since the introduction of Stalking Protection Orders (SPO) in 2020, the unit has achieved the highest national rates of delivery, significantly protecting victims. Remarkably, 78% of offenders did not re-offend, and there was a 71% reduction in recorded stalking offences, thanks to thorough risk assessments and multi-agency collaboration. 
   
  The police team also supports higher-tier cases under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, maintaining a charge rate above 15%, surpassing national averages. Additionally, the unit has delivered training across the criminal justice sector, achieving over 90% satisfaction rates, which is crucial for keeping the system informed and effective. 
   
  Continuing to innovate, the team is exploring ways to enhance engagement with behavioural change initiatives for Stalking Protection Order respondents, furthering their impactful work in this critical area. 

• Jo Ritchie, Barnardo’s and Rose Brown, Avon and Somerset Police: In March 2020, police raised concerns about young people at risk of child exploitation in an area where street sex work is known to take place, prompting a large-scale investigation to disrupt a network of perpetrators and protect exploited children.

  This realisation led to the creation of “Night Light,” a partnership project co-led by Jo from Barnardo’s and Rose, a Police Sex Work Liaison Officer. The initiative involves a small team from the police and partner agencies patrolling the area from 7pm to early morning, allowing the women to share vital safeguarding information. 
   
  In the past nine months, Night Light has interacted with the women 96 times, safeguarded 12 children, assisted in the remand of a potential serial rapist, and submitted intelligence on 32 children and young people. The project has also responded to increased reports of sexual violence from the women, leading to arrests and interventions with missing children and those at risk of grooming. Their goal is to empower street sex workers in safeguarding vulnerable children and preventing future exploitation. 

• Greig Watkins, British Transport Police: The Streamline matching system, built by Greig Watkins, and his BTP’s Visual Identification Bureau (VIB), is a fantastic innovation that addresses the challenges of isolated investigations in cases of VAWG. By creating a searchable database of suspect images and linking offences, the VIB is significantly enhancing the ability to identify and apprehend offenders. 

  The system not only aids in connecting crimes across different jurisdictions but also helps prioritise resources to tackle the most serious offenders. The collaboration with the Metropolitan Police to capture cross-border offences is a great example of how teamwork can lead to more effective policing. This proactive approach not only helps bring offenders to justice but also plays a crucial role in preventing further victimisation.

Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, said:

“Today’s event was a powerful testament to the extraordinary commitment and dedication of campaigners,  police forces, and support organisations across the country. It is truly inspiring to see the innovative and impactful work being done to combat violence against women and girls.

“I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all those who are leading the charge, from individuals like Lisa Squire, who tirelessly advocates for safety and justice, to pioneering initiatives like the multi-agency stalking unit and the Night Light project. Your relentless efforts and remarkable achievements are making a real difference in the lives of women and girls.

“While we celebrate these successes, we must remember that our work is far from over. This government is treating violence against women and girls as a national emergency. That’s why we have committed to halving such violence within the next decade. We remain dedicated to working closely with law enforcement to transform our approach and to drive the changes that women and girls urgently need.”

The nominations were judged, together with police representatives, by a panel of experts working to tackle VAWG, including:

• Nicole Jacobs, Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales
• Abigail Ampofo, Interim CEO, Refuge
• Sara Kirpatrick, CEO, Welsh Women’s Aid and Jo McAthey, Training and Education lead, Women’s Aid
• Emma Lingley-Clark, Interim CEO, Suzy Lamplugh Trust
• Ellen Miller, CEO, SafeLives
• Natasha Rattu, Executive Director, Karma Nirvana
• Amelia Handy, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Rape Crisis

 

Emma Lingley-Clark, Interim CEO, Suzy Lamplugh Trust, said: “It is vital that we champion good examples of policing so that other police forces can follow suit and learn from best practice.

“At the Trust, we work with the NPCC and local police forces to improve their response to stalking and ensure victims get the support and justice they deserve. Good policing can transform a victim’s experience of the criminal justice system, and these awards are a crucial initiative for showcasing this.

“We were delighted to be involved with the judging process of the VAWG police awards to ensure that new initiatives truly reflect the lived experience of the victims we speak to on a daily basis. We very much hope that this event will drive innovation and improve the national police response to victims of all forms of violence against women and girls, which is so urgently needed.”

Police forces across the country are carrying out patrols and visiting student campuses this month to raise awareness of spiking during freshers’ week.

Forces are working with universities, licensed venues and organisations in the night-time economy to help safeguard people on a night out, deploying a range of tactics to prevent and identify offending. This includes:

• Forces, including Derbyshire Police and Thames Valley Police, will deploy plain clothed officers to patrol the night-time economy, looking for predatory behaviour. A uniformed police response is also present in the area, ready to arrest suspects or respond to issues.
• Nottinghamshire Police has set up a dedicated police presence at Nottingham University throughout the freshers’ period to help safeguard students.
• Bedfordshire Police is delivering training to bar staff and taxi drivers to raise awareness of the symptoms of spiking and how to intervene as a bystander to violence against women and girls.
• West Yorkshire Police has created a spiking educational package for school pupils, digital media assets to increase confidence among victim survivors to report and to raise awareness within the NHS of the importance of early police referral.
• Lincolnshire Police is working with partners, such as street pastors and the University of Lincoln, to promote a safe night time economy. This will include extra patrols working with licensed premises to ensure strict searching of those entering large venues, and the university is providing support and testing for students who believe they may have been spiked.

Forces work proactively year-round to tackle spiking, raise awareness and educate around the issue, and make the night-time economy safer for women and girls.

Police activity has been further boosted this week with funding from the Home Office as part of a dedicated ‘week of action’ to target spiking offences. The first operation took place in March this year, when officers across England and Wales visited over 2000 licensed venues to ensure that staff were aware of the symptoms of spiking and how to respond to an incident, with the appropriate safety measures in place to protect customers.

Raising awareness of spiking is particularly key to helping police investigate offences, as common ‘myths’ prevent people from identifying and reporting offences. Drugs often pass through the system quickly, so it’s important that spiking is reported to the police as soon as possible to give the best chance of providing support to the victim, as well as investigating and collecting vital evidence.

To respond effectively to violence against women and girls in public spaces, including offences such as spiking, policing needs to work in partnership. Forces are invigorating a joined-up approach to help make the night-time economy safe, working with local councils and businesses to pursue perpetrators and safeguard vulnerable people.

Assistant Chief Constable Samantha Millar, National Police Chiefs’ Council Violence Against Women and Girls Strategic Programme Director, said:

“It’s really important that women and girls both feel safe and are safe when they are on a night out, and we know the fear around spiking can have a significant impact on how they feel.

“It’s also important that we equip young people with the right information around spiking to help prevent and deter offences and encourage early reporting. We know that spiking can often be committed by someone known to the victim and can occur when extra alcohol is added to someone’s drink without their knowledge.

“People may do it as a joke, or in rarer cases, there may be a more sinister motive for spiking. In all cases, we really want to encourage people to look out for each other, be aware of the signs and symptoms of spiking, and know how to report it to police.

“Don’t let the fact that you may have taken drugs put you off reporting to police, it is not an offence to have drugs in your system, and police will want to make sure you are safe and investigate any offences you are reporting.”

Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women & Girls Jess Phillips said:

“Ensuring the safety and well-being of our students during freshers’ week is a top priority. That’s why the government has invested in police forces across the country to intensify their operations to tackle spiking, employing new strategies to pursue offenders and protect victims.

“It’s vital that victims feel empowered and supported to come forward as we confront this often-underreported crime. We are taking strong and decisive action to strengthen the law and enhance the police response to ensure victims are confident reporting to the police and that offenders are held accountable.

“This government has a mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade, and we are resolute in our commitment to keep women and girls safe.”

Professor Lisa Roberts, Student Experience, Education and Skills Policy Lead, Universities UK and Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive at the University of Exeter, said:

“It’s vital that all students feel safe at university and can enjoy their student experience without fear of being harmed. Across the country universities are working with the police and nightlife sector to help students feel safe when they go out at night. Spiking attacks can, and do, happen in society and we need to work together to reduce the risk and raise awareness of the support that is available, so those who have been spiked can come forward for support in confidence. Universities UK’s guidance supports universities to respond spiking through providing examples of good practice.”

Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, Joint Leads on Addictions and Substance Abuse, David Sidwick and Joy Allen, and Joint Leads on Victims, Sophie Linden and Lisa Townsend, said:

“Spiking is an abominable act that can have a traumatic impact on victims – mostly women and girls. Victims of spiking are often left in the terrifying situation of being unable to recall what has happened or what might have been done to them.

“At a time when many young people will be out enjoying themselves during their university freshers’ week, we fully support this week of action by police. It is those who carry out these offences who are responsible for the harm that results, but we would encourage students to be vigilant and know how to stay safe, and to recognise the signs of a possible spiking incident. Spiking can involve drugs such as cocaine or ketamine or, often, a victim’s drink being doctored with multiple measures of alcohol. It is almost certainly under-reported by victims.

“PCCs are committed to working with their local police force along with national and local partners to raise public awareness and to improve the police response to what are challenging and complex offences to investigate. To send the clearest possible message that spiking is entirely unacceptable, and encourage victims to come forward, we believe it should be made a specific criminal offence.

“It is vital that anyone who believes they or a friend have been spiked reports it to police as soon as possible to give them the best possible chance of catching the perpetrator.” 

How to report spiking

If you think you or a friend has been spiked, it’s important to tell someone as soon as you can.

• Alert a member of staff or security if you’re at a venue.
• Stay with your friend and keep talking to them.
• Don’t let them go home on their own or leave with someone you don’t know.
• Report to the police online, on 101 or, in an emergency, call 999.

If you or someone else have symptoms

• If you are worried call 111.
• Call an ambulance if the symptoms get worse.

If you think there may have been a sexual assault

• Go to your nearest sexual assault referral centre (SARC) for specialist care and support. For further information on SARCs and details of your nearest one, visit www.nhs.uk/sarcs

Letting people know gives the best chance of looking after you and gathering any evidence where a crime may have taken place.

We know it can be scary to report being spiked, but the police are here to help you. They will listen to you and take you seriously. 

Forces remain actively engaged with senior leaders and security teams at Higher and Further Education establishments as students return to campuses.

The start of the new academic year brings hope and excitement, but we understand that for many in our communities, there will be feelings of anxiety and tension following the public disorder seen over the summer.

Distress caused by these incidents has been significant, and will have intensified divisions within communities, particularly those that were already under very real pressure due to ongoing events in the Middle East.

In responding to these incidents, policing implemented the largest mobilisation of public order officers since 2011, marking the first ever activation of the national mobilisation plan to create a national strategic reserve of public order officers.

We remain extremely proud of the work of our officers, staff, and volunteers, who were dutiful and quick to respond, often in the face of real danger and adversity. Hundreds of our colleagues suffered physical injuries, many of whom needed hospital treatment. We also saw colleagues subject to vile racism and discrimination. We continue to work with staff associations and the National Police Wellbeing Service to ensure that our people can recover, both mentally and physically.

With these incidents having now subsided, and with hundreds of offenders being rapidly processed by the criminal justice system, our priority has shifted from operational response towards community recovery and cohesion. Through full engagement and protective security, we are actively reassuring communities and organisations, and when necessary, safeguarding the most vulnerable.

National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Race and Inclusion, Chief Constable Rachel Kearton said:

“Neighbourhood policing teams, community safety teams, and Higher Education Liaison Officers, have actively been engaging with partners and security teams at Higher and Further education establishments, offering advice and guidance to ensure that vulnerable premises are safeguarded, and that students know where to go for help and support.

“We have no intelligence to indicate there will be a reappearance of the major public disorder previously seen, but we ask educational establishments to remain vigilant, and to promote zero-tolerance towards hate or discriminatory behaviour.

“We know that the risk of hate crime never goes away, and we will not stop investigating reports. Our message to students is that racial and faith-based discrimination will never be tolerated in any form, and we encourage anyone who suffers such a crime to report it to the police.

“Our officers are highly trained, will treat everyone with respect and dignity and handle cases sensitively. We ask that victims come to us as soon as possible after an offence has been committed so we can begin our investigation as early as possible.

“Your place of learning will also have reporting channels, such as via campus safety teams, student hubs, the student union, and college support teams, and we encourage you to use them. For those who do not wish to report directly to the police, please know that crime can always be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers.

“We know that the events of the summer were hugely challenging, and that anxieties and concern will understandably linger. There has been incredible unity displayed across the country and this is how we tackle division, by standing together, and I want to reassure all of our communities that policing will continue to do its utmost to keep them safe.”

Police and prosecutors are working tirelessly to bring offenders to justice.

The ongoing activity follows the unrest which spiralled after the tragic killing of three young girls in Southport.

Officers and prosecutors across the country have been working tirelessly to identify individuals involved in the riots as well as those responsible for spreading and inciting hate online – and bring them to justice.

Since July 29, police have a made a total of 1,461 arrests, and together with the Crown Prosecution Service have brought a total number of 965 charges.

Please note that the above data is a summary up to 10/09/24.

Arrest figures are subject to change due to data extraction methods.

NPCC lead says the international deployment was an ‘honour and a privilege’ 

All UK officers are now back on home soil after helping to police a successful Olympic and Paralympic Games.

A total of 249 officers from across the country were deployed to France to help bolster the Paris 2024 security operation. 

During the eight-week period, officers from 39 forces were sent to locations across France to assist with a range of roles, including athlete support and searches of iconic sites such as the Olympic Village. 

The support offered included:

• 186 general patrol officers, which included 54 Special Constables
• 49 specialist search dogs and their handlers
• 14 bilingual Athlete Liaison Officers

The UK’s package of support was led by the National Police Coordination Centre (NPoCC) and was supported by the Home Office, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Ministry of Defence, Counter Terrorism Policing UK and a range of other partners.  

More than 540,000 tickets for the Paris 2024 Games were sold to fans in the UK.

The deployment is not the first time UK officers have been sent overseas to assist with major security and sporting events, but it was the first time Special Constables were used in this way.

Paying tribute to the success of the wider security operation, and the professionalism of officers, NPCC lead for sporting and planned events, Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said:

“What an honour and a privilege it has been to take part in such an iconic sporting event.

“Paris 2024 has been a real success not just for all the athletes who made up Team GB and ParalympicsGB, but also for our officers and volunteers who helped make the event safe and special for so many visitors.

“Policing large-scale security operations like this is not easy, especially when you are doing so in another country, adopting to new culture and customs, but our officers have done us proud.

They have learned a great deal, not just from their French colleagues but from officers deployed from countries like Norway, the United Arab Emirates and even further afield.

“The skills and experience officers and Specials have brought back with them cannot be underestimated. Imparting their own knowledge and tactics and working alongside international colleagues on this type of event will have boosted their confidence as well as sharpened their skills and our communities will see an obvious benefit from this.

“The UK has a proud history of deploying mutual aid to events like this and long may that continue.”

British Ambassador to France Dame Menna Rawlings added:

“The Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics were fantastic and I’m proud that UK officers played a part in keeping them secure.

“Not only did this help British fans enjoy the games safely, but it has also built strong links between our police forces and between individual officers from both sides of the Channel – a fitting outcome, as this year’s Games coincided with the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale between our two countries.”

Arrests continue to be made following the outbreaks of violent disorder seen last month.

The ongoing activity follows the unrest which spiralled after the tragic killing of three young girls in Southport.

Officers and prosecutors across the country have been working tirelessly to identify individuals involved in the riots as well as those responsible for spreading and inciting hate online – and bring them to justice.

Since July 29, police have a made a total of 1,380 arrests, and together with the Crown Prosecution Service have brought a total number of 863 charges.

Data collected as part of national policing strategy

A national policing strategy to help forces target serial domestic abusers during the Euros football tournament was launched in June this year. The strategy was produced by the UK’s Football Policing Unit and aimed to equip forces with a proactive, multi-agency approach to safeguard victims and target perpetrators of domestic abuse.

As part of the police activity, forces used intelligence to shortlist known serial domestic abusers with football banning orders to target operational activity, such as proactive patrols and welfare visits to victims.

The strategy also aimed to improve understanding of the link between football tournaments and a rise in domestic abuse. Whilst football does not cause domestic abuse, several factors are thought to exacerbate abusive behaviour during football tournaments, including the increased and prolonged consumption of alcohol around matches.

Data was collected at a national level and will now be further analysed to identify ways to improve the police response to prevent offences, safeguard victims and pursue perpetrators.

Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe, NPCC lead for domestic abuse, and Chief Constable Mark Roberts, NPCC Lead Football Policing, said:

“We have been working closely with the UK Football Policing Unit to understand the link between domestic abuse and football tournaments. Ahead of the Euros, we initiated a national strategy to support police forces in taking a proactive approach to domestic abuse during the tournament.

“The strategy also collected data on domestic abuse offences which victims felt were a result of the perpetrator’s behaviour around football.

“During the Euros, police forces reported 351* domestic abuse incidents as being football related. This is compared to 193 domestic abuse incidents related to football during the Euros tournament in 2021.

“Collecting data in this area is challenging because we rely on victims disclosing abuse, reporting the link with football where it exists, and accurate information recording across 43 forces. We also know that many victims won’t report abuse to the police, so we do not have the full picture of offending.

“We are working closely with support agencies to share data and intelligence to improve our understanding, for example, Respect, the UK charity stopping perpetrators of domestic abuse, recorded a 24% increase in calls to its Men’s Advice Line and a 39% increase to the Respect Phoneline during the Euros. This reinforces our belief that the heightened emotions and behaviour around football, such as prolonged drinking or drug taking, can exacerbate domestic abuse. However, more research is needed to understand the full impact. 

“Work is ongoing at a national level to examine data collected during this tournament, inform our approach to future tournaments and to broaden our understanding of domestic abuse and football.  This will improve our ability to collect data and information and help us to better protect victims and bring perpetrators to justice.”

Domestic abuse (DA) remains one of the biggest demands on policing, with arrests for domestic abuse related offences increasing by over 22% in the year ending March 2023, compared to the previous period. Whilst this is a positive shift, we acknowledge that this is only the start and there is still more to do.

Recent and ongoing improvements to the way policing responds to domestic abuse includes:

• The Domestic Abuse Joint Justice Plan (DAJJP) – we are working with the Crown Prosecution Service to improve the way we investigate, handle and prosecute domestic abuse to ensure victims are better supported, timeliness is improved and more offenders are brought to justice. This focuses on working together from the earliest stage to build robust, victim-centred and suspect-focused investigations and prosecutions which focus on the suspect’s actions before, during and after an alleged offence.
• Domestic Abuse Matters training – DA Matters is an evidence-based training programme aimed at increasing first responders’ understanding of the dynamics of abuse and their empathy with victims and delivered in partnership with Women’s Aid Federation England, Welsh Women’s Aid and SafeLives. It currently spans 37 forces in England and Wales.
• Use of technology – we are pioneering new ways of using technology and data analytics to pursue the highest harm and repeat offenders of violence against women and girls. New technology also presents opportunities to better manage domestic abuse protective orders and response to victims.

*351 incidents of domestic abuse related to football were recorded by 43 police forces between 14 June and 14 July 2024. This does not represent the total of domestic abuse reports received during this time, only those that were recorded as football being an aggravating factor. The data will not represent the true picture of domestic abuse offending where football was an aggravating factor for several reasons: some victims may not recognise or disclose the link with football and officers may not always record the link. We also know that domestic abuse is vastly under-reported to police.

Our ability to record data is improving, which will be part of the reason that there is an increase in recorded incidents between the 2024 and 2021 tournament.

Over 150 high harm offenders identified

Just over three months into opening up referrals from police forces and retailers, Opal, policing’s central intelligence team, has identified more than 152 individuals linked to organised retail crime and facilitated more than 23 arrests of high harm offenders.

Funded by the Pegasus Partnership, a business and policing partnership set up in October 2023 by PCC Katy Bourne to improve the way retailers are able to share intelligence with policing, a dedicated team within Opal now collate intelligence referrals to create a comprehensive national picture of organised retail crime offending.

The team analyses the referrals received, looking for opportunities to identify offenders and map offending patterns where individuals are targeting multiple police force areas. A package will then be collated and shared with the most appropriate police force to progress the investigation and take action against offenders.

One individual was recently sentenced to four years in prison after stealing over £55,000 worth of goods from different Boots stores across Wales. Opal’s work identified his pattern of offending which impacted a number of force areas and South Wales Police then progressed the investigation.

Another offender was undertaking high value thefts such as electricals, sunglasses, fragrances and baby products. His offending impacted at least 16 police force areas with offences totalling over £33,000. Opal developed further intelligence to support the location of individual and then Devon and Cornwall Police took on the investigation, arresting the man who subsequently received a 16 month prison sentence.

Several more investigations are in the pipeline with arrests of offenders responsible for further tens of thousands of pounds worth of thefts.

Stephanie Coombes is Head of Intelligence at Opal. She said:

“Opal has been carrying out this role for other crime types for a number of years and we have seen significant successes from having a national overview of what’s happening in the organised crime world.

“As we’ve seen, organised crime groups may be targeting one retailer using the same tactics across multiple regions and without a national team to bring together that information, we could have several police forces each looking into the same group. Our role is vital in centralising intelligence, building strong evidence packages and then working with the relevant force/s to deal with these high harm offenders.

“Our work can be as light touch as putting CCTV images through the Police National Database to identify an individual or as extensive as building a detailed intelligence package of offending across multiple areas and retailers but either way it’s proving extremely effective.

“For far too long these groups have been damaging retailers and communities with thefts reaching hundreds of thousands of pounds and we are now quite literally ensuring they have nowhere to hide.”

Assistant Chief Constable, Alex Goss, is National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Retail Crime. He said:

“We know retail crime has a significant impact on victims which is why we are committed to doing all we can to reduce thefts and pursue offenders, especially those prolific and habitual offenders, who cause misery within the community. 

“Late last year we worked with the Government to develop the Retail Crime Action Plan which sets out clear guidelines for the response to retail crime, including following all reasonable lines of enquiry. Police forces have embedded the plan in their operational work and we’ve already seen positive results and increased retailer confidence.

“This renewed focus, working alongside Opal’s highly effective intelligence work in tackling organised retail crime, is showing a marked improvement in our response, dealing robustly with offenders and supporting retailers of all sizes.”

Sussex PCC Katy Bourne said:

“Retailers, shopworkers and customers will be pleased to see the results of this unique collaboration between the retail sector and police.  Over the past two years, retailers and police business crime leads had been calling for a more co-ordinated approach that shared information about known offenders and suspects and their patterns of behaviour and movements.

“With 152 criminals identified for sustained criminal activity in just four months, the OPAL team have made a great start in mapping and disrupting organised retail crime which will give businesses, their staff and shoppers the confidence that police take shoplifting seriously.

“I would like to commend the OPAL team for their work and thank those businesses who had faith in my concept of Project Pegasus and provided vital funding to support this specialist intelligence capability.”

In the months May – August 2024, Opal’s intelligence team for serious organised retail crime has:

• Identified 152 high harm individuals involved in organised retail crime
• Affected 23 arrests, impacting at least 16 businesses
• Received 86 referrals from police forces, retailers and organisations
• Supported 47 businesses and organisations, impacting 45 police forces

Impact of programme already seeing results 

Today sees the release of the very first His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) report into the national Operation Soteria programme.

Operation Soteria seeks to deliver cross-system transformational change, improving support for victims and ensuring more perpetrators are bought to justice. This needs to be achieved by radically and sustainably improving procedural and outcome justice for victims of RASSO and those involved in the investigation of RASSO.

The Op Soteria joint unit, headed by ACC Dee Perkins as Strategic Programme Director, consists of the NPCC, College of Policing and Home Office, to help create a national operating model to tackle rape and sexual offences. This was a transformative new approach to rape investigations and prosecutions. It supports the many police officers and staff working across policing to better protect women and girls and be relentless in their pursuit of the perpetrators.

Chief Constable Sarah Crew, Operation Soteria’s Senior Responsible Officer, welcomed the report saying:

“I am pleased to see that this first HMICFRS report found Soteria to be a true ‘game-changer’ for policing.

“This highlights the reason why it is so important that in early adopter forces a positive cultural change in the way policing views these types of investigations is already taking place. In fact, within our own evidence gathering, we have seen more cases being referred to prosecutors and we are seeing more suspects being charged. For example, in the year ending December 2023, charges for sexual offences were up by 18% compared to the previous year, while adult rape charges increased by 38% in the same period.

“I also welcome their comments around the positive efforts of investigators, forces and those working at a national level in policing in England and Wales to put Operation Soteria and the NOM in place. We know that we are asking a lot of forces, as adopting the six-pillar way of working and the NOM do require transformational change at every level. This can often be impacted by the amount of resources available and this is again picked up in the report in terms of resource pressures and short-term funding arrangements being a major risk to the delivery of Soteria.

“As the report says, the system wide benefits this programme offers are ‘a major opportunity for the criminal justice system to finally give victims the service they deserve’ and only by working together and making this a national model, not only for RASSO but even for other types of crime, can we achieve this.

“It is important to note that we were at an early stage of implementation at the time of the inspection and, while the signs are positive and strong, we still have much to do to transform.

“Force problem profiles still need to be improved, Early Advice from CPS isn’t used consistently and we continue to have a shortage of RASSO trained detectives although we are offering increased support and advice for these challenges and the College of Policing are working to provide appropriate, timely, training to all involved in this area of policing. For example, we recently ensured 4,000 detectives were given specialist training – over double the target set by the Government at that time.”