Correspondence

Crime and policing news update: August 2014

Published 29 August 2014

1. Modern slavery

Following last month’s launch of a Home Office campaign to raise awareness of modern slavery in Britain, a range of resources, including posters and a wallet-sized reference card, has been produced for partners to use to promote the campaign to the public.

A short film has also been produced, which includes interviews with front line professionals and charity workers from the NSPCC and ECPAT UK, and features scenes of the most common types of modern slavery, such as sexual exploitation and domestic servitude. The film is the latest part of the campaign, which aims to raise awareness of modern slavery, and encourage the public who suspect cases of modern slavery, or those who feel they may be in a situation of slavery, to call a new national helpline. You can view or share the film from the Home Office’s YouTube channel.

2. NSPCC launches helpline service for parents worried about gangs

The NSPCC has launched a helpline for parents who are worried about their children being involved with gangs. Parents who call the helpline will be able to speak to trained practitioners who can advise on action to help youngsters who are in, or at risk from, a gang. The Home Office is supporting the service as part of its strategy for ending gang and youth violence.

Street ambassadors will promote the helpline service to communities in the 33 local authority areas identified by the Home Office as places where gang culture is deemed to be an issue. The service will also be promoted through a poster campaign and a specially produced video which will help adults to identify if a young person may be at risk.

Anyone who has concerns about a child or wants advice can contact the NSPCC for free 24 hours a day, by calling 0808 800 5000, emailing help@nspcc.org.uk, texting 88858 or using an online reporting form. They can choose to remain anonymous if they wish.

3. New campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of new psychoactive substances

A national advertising campaign to raise awareness among teenagers and young adults of the dangers of new psychoactive substances (NPS) – also called ‘legal’ highs – was launched by the Home Office on 16 August. The radio, digital and mobile phone adverts are aimed at people aged 15 to 21 and warn them about the risks of taking the drugs. The campaign directs young people to the FRANK website for help, information or advice about drugs. A second phase of the campaign later this year will target youth and social workers and others to challenge drug taking behaviour among young people.

4. Measures to improve standards of police integrity

On 22 July, the Home Secretary made an oral statement to Parliament about the ongoing work to ensure the highest standards of integrity in the police, by announcing:

• a fundamental review of police leadership, led by the College of Policing

• a review of the entire police complaints system, including the role, powers and funding of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and the local role played by police and crime commissioners

• an external review of the police disciplinary system from beginning to end, led by Major General Clive Chapman;

• the introduction of a single national policy for police forces on whistleblowing, as well as an annual publication detailing the number of complaints and conduct issues brought by police officers and staff against their colleagues.

The Government will consult on the outcomes of the review of the IPCC and police complaints system, the review of the police disciplinary system, and further proposals to strengthen protections for police whistleblowers later this year. For further details, please contact Andy Johnson in the Home Office.

5. New West Midlands police and crime commissioner elected

The first police and crime commissioner by-election, following the death of Bob Jones, the PCC for the West Midlands, was held on 21 August. David Jamieson, the Labour candidate, was elected to the post for the West Midlands Police force area.

6. Mental health triage conference

The Home Office is holding a national mental health triage conference in London on 4 September, which will be an opportunity to share interim findings from both the Department of Health funded triage pilots, as well as Home Office and locally funded initiatives. The triage scheme sees mental health nurses accompany officers to incidents where police believe people need immediate mental health support.

Health and policing partners will be able to review progress to date, share best practice and explore how they can best ensure these crucial services continue. The Minister for Policing, Criminal Justice and Victims, Mike Penning, will attend and speakers include Norman Lamb, the Minister for Care and Support, Commander Christine Jones, the national policing lead for mental health, and representatives from the nine Department of Health and locally funded triage pilots.

7. Local services for victims receive £12.5 million boost

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced details of how a £12.5 million fund will be spent locally on innovative technologies and specialist services to support victims of crime. Earlier this year, police and crime commissioners (PCCs) submitted bids to fund projects to support victims of crime.

PCCs worked with local voluntary organisations to identify the services that best meet the needs of victims of crime in their areas, and many of the successful bids will support victims of sexual and domestic abuse, hate crime, young victims and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender victims, among others. From 1 October 2014 PCCs will assume responsibility for commissioning most support services for victims locally as they are best placed to tailor services to local need.

Find out more about the range of projects being funded, some of which have been featured on MoJ’s Facebook page.