Correspondence

Crime and policing news update: January 2016

Published 1 February 2016

1. Changes to bring about closer working between the emergency services announced

On 26 January the government announced its intention to take forward legislation to enable police and crime commissioners (PCCs) to take responsibility for local fire and rescue services.

The measure is part of a raft of changes designed to bring about closer working between the police, fire and rescue and NHS ambulance services and improve the way they serve communities, protect the public and provide value for money for taxpayers.

Other measures announced include:

• introducing a statutory duty to collaborate on all 3 emergency services, to improve their efficiency or effectiveness
• enabling PCCs to take on the functions and duties of fire and rescue authorities, where a local case is made
• further enabling PCCs to create a single employer for police and fire personnel where they take on the responsibilities of their local fire and rescue service, and where a local case is made
• in areas where a PCC has not taken on responsibility for fire and rescue, enabling them to have representation on their local fire and rescue authority with voting rights, where the fire and rescue authority agrees
• abolishing the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority and giving the Mayor of London direct responsibility for the fire and rescue service in London

The intention is that these measures will ensure collaboration is widespread and ambitious across the country. The announcement follows a public consultation last year, which was jointly produced by the Home Office, Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department of Health, which sought views on a range of proposals to enable greater collaboration between the emergency services.

2. Fire and rescue policy to move to the Home Office

On 5 January, the Prime Minister announced to Parliament that responsibility for policy on fire will move from the Department for Communities and Local Government to the Home Office. Mike Penning has assumed responsibility for the portfolio becoming Minister for Policing, Fire, Criminal Justice and Victims. The move will support the government’s manifesto to deliver greater joint working between the police and fire service.

There are already excellent examples of successful collaboration between police forces and fire services across the country. The government thinks there is more to do to encourage this important collaboration and the policy transfer will help facilitate that. It will pave the way for improvement in local fire and policing by providing clear leadership, supporting greater collaboration and delivering value for money for taxpayers, and will also allow the government to share good practice more effectively on areas such as procurement and prevention.

3. A new campaign asks households to remember to test smoke alarms

The Home Office has launched a new Fire Kills campaign that aims to make sure people test their smoke alarms to prevent fire deaths. The advertising campaign is running across radio, print, digital, outdoor and social media to raise awareness during the winter months when there is an increase in fire-related emergencies and deaths. More information about the campaign and how you can support it is also available on the campaign’s website.

4. Police volunteers to be given powers

A package of reforms to the powers and roles of police staff and volunteers was announced by the Home Secretary on 20 January. The reforms will enable volunteers to be given powers without having to become a special constable so that they can play a greater role in policing our communities. At the same time, the measures will help forces to create a more flexible workforce, bring in new skills and free up officers’ time to focus on the jobs only they can carry out.

The government will also set out the core list of powers only available to a police officer holding the office of constable. The measures, which will form part of the Policing and Crime Bill, also include:

• enabling chief officers to designate a wider range of powers on police staff and volunteers
• enabling volunteers to be designated with powers in the same way as staff
• abolishing the role of traffic warden under the Road Traffic Acts

The changes will enable volunteers and staff to work more closely with officers, helping them to police communities and keep them safe. Additionally, these reforms will help to bring new skills and expertise to policing, freeing up police officers to concentrate on core policing tasks.

The Home Office held a public consultation on these proposals last year.

5. Psychoactive Substances Act receives Royal Assent

A landmark law to end the trade in harmful psychoactive substances and protect young people in the UK from the risks posed by these drugs received Royal Assent on 28 January.

The Psychoactive Substances Act will create a blanket ban on the supply of psychoactive substances. It will criminalise the supply, production, importation and exportation of psychoactive substances and give police and other law enforcement agencies greater powers to challenge this trade.

The act is due to be implemented from spring this year, and will complement and be used alongside the existing Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

6. A new policy to reduce gang violence and exploitation launched

Communities across England are set to benefit from the new ending gang violence and exploitation policy, which was announced by Minister for Preventing Abuse and Exploitation, Karen Bradley. The policy sets out 6 priorities for government to deal with reducing violence and prevent the exploitation of vulnerable people by gangs.

The policy presents a refreshed approach and has been published following challenges identified by frontline workers and organisations, including the police and National Crime Agency.

The 6 priorities under the policy are:

• reducing violence including knife crime
• reducing the abuse of vulnerable people in the drug trade through county lines
• creating opportunities to divert youngsters away from gangs
• protecting vulnerable locations
• safeguarding girls and women associated with gangs
• early intervention with at risk youngsters

Nine new areas will also receive targeted support through the Home Office and experts to better understand the nature of gang-related violence and exploitation, identify opportunities for collaborative working and share effective ways of overcoming local challenges.

7. Launch of Educate against hate website to help parents and teachers better protect children from extremism

A new website that aims to help parents, teachers and school leaders understand how to protect young people from extremism and radicalisation was launched by the Education Secretary Nicky Morgan. The Educate against hate website provides advice, support and resources that help explain the threat that extremist organisations pose, how radicalisation happens, how parents and teachers can spot the signs of radicalisation, and where they can get further support if they have concerns. The website is part of a wider package of measures designed to better protect children from extremism under the prevent duty.

8. City of London Police launch campaign to increase public awareness of cyber and fraud crime

To increase the public’s awareness around cyber crime and fraud, the ‘Do you really know…?’ campaign has been launched by City of London Police. Each month the campaign will focus on a particular crime type, and will provide useful tips to allow the public and businesses to better protect themselves from different types of economic crime.

Police forces and partners are encouraged to support the campaign through their websites and social media channels to maximise the reach of the campaign. If you’d like to know more information or how you can support the campaign, please email harry.watkinson@city-of-london.pnn.police.uk.

9. Sentencing Council seeks views on proposed guideline for the imposition of community and custodial sentences

The Sentencing Council is updating existing guidance on the imposition of community and custodial sentences to produce more concise and functional guidelines for use in all criminal courts. The new guidance will improve consistency in the factors considered when deciding whether a community or custodial sentence is appropriate in an individual case.

The council is seeking views of practitioners to inform the definitive guideline, and has launched a consultation that runs until 25 February 2016. You can respond to the consultation via the Sentencing Council’s website.

10. Sentencing Council issues new sentencing guidelines for robbery

New guidelines to help courts sentence offenders convicted of robbery have been issued by the Sentencing Council. The guidelines have been revised to include a much wider range of robbery offences, such as robberies in people’s homes or professionally-planned commercial robberies. The guidelines come into effect from 1 April 2016, and will ensure courts have comprehensive guidance covering all types of robberies committed by adults in England and Wales.

11. New sentencing guidelines come into force on 1 February

On 1 February, 2 new sentencing guidelines come into force in England and Wales. The guidelines were announced by the Sentencing Council last year.

The guidelines for how offenders convicted of theft should be sentenced will apply to the full range of theft offences, such as shop theft, pick-pocketing, handling stolen goods, and stealing by employees.

The guidelines for how organisations or individuals convicted of corporate manslaughter, health and safety and food safety and hygiene offences should be sentenced cover the most common health and safety offences and food safety offences in England and Wales.

These guidelines provide comprehensive guidance for judges and magistrates when sentencing offenders convicted of theft, and organisations or individuals convicted of corporate manslaughter, health and safety and food safety. You can find further information on the guidelines on the Sentencing Council’s website.

12. Department of Health publishes progress report on strategy for adults with autism

The Think Autism strategy sets out a range of actions for government and local authorities, the NHS, the police, criminal justice bodies and other public services to improve the lives of people with autism. On 14 January, the Department of Health published its progress report that sets out what has been achieved to date, including:

• better awareness of autism within the criminal justice system including the production of a range of guidance, training and information for those working with people affected by autism
• improved training within the criminal justice system and work such as including autism in liaison and diversion pilots in the criminal justice system with the aim of referring people to the appropriate support

The report also sets out new actions to further improve awareness of autism and the needs of people with autism, including:

• promoting new statutory guidance locally and building awareness training in for professionals working with people with autism such as health professionals, police, criminal justice, Job Centre Plus staff
• improving data sharing between partners

Alongside the progress report, a number of other documents have been published including the National Autistic Society’s guide for local authorities on the 2015 autism statutory guidance, and the Local Government Association has published good practice examples from councils.

13. Speeches

• Home Secretary’s speech at the Police ICT Company suppliers summit
• Baroness Shields’ speech on challenging online extremism at the Digital-Life-Design ‘Next Next’ Conference
• Education Secretary Nicky Morgan’s speech on new measures to protect children from extremism