Landmark crime intelligence sharing agreement between police and businesses
A landmark information sharing agreement (ISA) has been rolled out that for the first time will enable police forces to share relevant data with the wider business community to help combat crime.
Launched by the National Business Crime Solution (NBCS) and the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC), the National Police ISA will enable the NBCS to request and exchange information and intelligence with all 43 police forces and its members
“This significant milestone in the fight against business crime will make it possible to streamline data sharing for the entire industry, not only retailers and business but also to streamline data sharing for more than 300 Business Crime Reduction Partnerships (BCRPs) and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) as long as they are accredited to the national BCRP standards,” said the NBCC.
The ISA also enables the NBCS to share critical and timely intelligence with its members both via its iNTEL ONE data repositry and its current awareness systems. Information such as name, gender, physical description and crucially images will be accessible by businesses and retailers, where proportionate and justified to do so. The NBCS will also be able to request address details of offenders for the purpose of exclusion.
Superintendent Patrick Holdaway from City of London Police, and lead for the NBCC, said: “This has been a complex piece of work which we started developing with the NBCS in 2020, the significance of which cannot be underestimated.
“It is a clear demonstration of the willingness by UK police to stand shoulder to shoulder with the business community and its stakeholders.
“It will empower forces across the country to share relevant data with the wider business community, supporting increased trust in policing, better collaboration, protection of the public and fundamentally better outcomes for victims.”
The NBCC says this “fresh approach” from UK policing towards business crimes and its victims is expected to enhance the opportunities to prevent crime and lead to more accurate identification of offenders.
“That in turn will lead to better policing outcomes supporting the drive to target the 20 per cent of offenders committing 80 per cent of the crime,” it added.
The introduction of this new ISA was approved by the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC).
Peter Fisher, general manager of NBCS, said: “The ISA is absolutely critical to ensure businesses can work together in collaboration and streamline process across the industry. Now, with the help of our police partners all business have the opportunity to access relevant data and intelligence from the police using the same process regardless of the force.
“In terms of our BID and BCRP partners, no longer will they be required to apply individually to their force; the collective NBCS/Police ISA will mean all stakeholders have access to the intelligence they need, this will further simplify accreditation against the national partnership standards and support the continued growth of business confidence in these more local organisations.”
The NBCC represents UK police forces to work in partnership with the business community to tackle crimes against businesses. Its focus is on preventing violence and tackling organised crime while developing and sharing good practice between forces and private sector industries.
The NBCC was launched in October 2017 and hosted in the Metropolitan Police Service with support from the Home Office. In 2021, ownership of the NBCC moved across to the City of London Police to support the NPCC business crime lead, Assistant Commissioner Paul Betts.
As well as business crime, the NBCC also supports Deputy Chief Constable Alistair Sutherland from British Transport Police, who is the NPCC lead for the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme and Private Security Liaison.