Prevention First Policing: Fewer Victims, Less Crime, Reduced Demand

Prevention First Policing: Fewer Victims, Less Crime, Reduced Demand

How many times must a shopkeeper report theft, or a family endure intimidation, before we stop counting incidents and start solving the problems that cause them?

I recently attended the National Problem Solving conference, where I heard concerns from officers that policing leaders may be considering pulling back from prevention activities because of increasing demand. 

This would be a retrograde move away from policing’s founding purpose. The constable’s oath is clear: prevent offences against people and property. Prevention is a promise our officers make to every community when they receive their warrant card.

The College of Policing’s own framework reinforces this duty. It expects officers to interpret data and evidence, understand causes and work with partners. At its highest level, leaders are expected to drive a culture of prevention and intervention, with accountability and problem solving at its core.

Most crime reported is preventable. Yet the skills, time and attention needed to prevent it risk being squeezed out by the pressure to respond to increasing demand.

Answering calls quickly, responding to incidents, making arrests and submitting sound evidence to prosecutors all matter. But if we don’t proactively adopt and invest in problem solving with partners, we will not prevent future crime and victimisation. We will just facilitate the inefficient and ineffective revolving door where offenders commit crime, are arrested, charged, sentenced and released to commit further crime. 

Someone stealing to fund their addiction may leave custody with that addiction untreated. Without treatment and support, as night follows day, more crime will be committed. 

In Durham, our internationally award-winning Checkpoint programme demonstrates the value of tackling the underlying causes of offending. With a success rate of almost 94%, it shows how prevention, intervention and support can reduce reoffending, protect victims and make communities safer.

That’s why I am committed to facilitating an intelligence-led, data-driven policing, problem solving and partnership approach that prevents crime and protects victims. This means the Police, councils, housing providers, health services and treatment services work together to make our communities safer, stronger and more resilient.

My challenge to Chief Constables, Ministers and fellow Commissioners is to give prevention the sustained investment it deserves. Short funding cycles undermine lasting solutions. We must invest in and protect neighbourhood teams’ time and rebuild their prevention and problem-solving skills, while also encouraging local residents to sign up to Neighbourhood Watch, so they get the latest crime prevention tips and advice to protect themselves, their families and property – www.ourwatch.org.uk

The Peelian principle that the police are the public and the public are the police depends on trust. We must honour it. Residents should keep reporting concerns. Leaders must ensure those reports inform action.

The College’s framework describes taking responsibility and persevering until a problem is resolved. Communities deserve that determination.

Prevention first must become the test of leadership: fewer victims, safer neighbourhoods and recurring problems finally resolved.