14
Sep
2015
By Calvin at 14:38 GMT, 10 years ago
This story in the Manchester Evening News caught my eye today. It seems that a year-long operation using tried and tested methods to reduce burglary has worked so well that there have been 720 fewer victims of the crime when compared to the previous year. Well done indeed to the Greater Manchester Police!
We’re told that Operation Ark focused on old fashioned policing by
- Increasing visible patrolling of burglary hotspot streets
- Spending time with victims
- Giving crime prevention advice
- Engaging with the community
- Gathering intelligence from offenders
Fourteen officers were dedicated to the operation, which took place in the areas of Fallowfield, Old Moat, Burnage and Withington.
The story tells us that the team used the Koper Curve theory - which says that increasing police visibility and community engagement in crime hotspots reduces crime. I used to refer to this as the ‘porridge theory’ because among other things Koper calls for specific periods and frequencies for the extra police patrolling, not too much and not too little. So, in other words, I wanted the porridge to be just right, not too hot and not too cold.
The only drawback with this type of intensive policing is that by definition it has to come to an end in order that our police service (with ever-reducing budgets) can move onto the next problem. So the obvious concern is that burglary in the area that was getting the extra police patrols might start to go back up again. The key to this issue, one that was recognised by GMP from the start, is to make sure the community is well furnished with plenty of crime prevention advice.
So, hopefully, with the community well educated in how they can reduce their chances of burglary any increases in burglary that might happen will be much lower than would have otherwise been expected.
I used to be involved in this sort of hotspot policing back in the 1990s in Ealing where we used a different, but well tested theory called Repeat Victimisation. What we did, which was essentially to warn the community about the immediate danger of burglary (together with intelligence lead and highly visible policing), worked very well indeed.
So, more excellent work by our police services!
Source Manchester Evening News: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/burglaries-slashed-more-third-south-10041787
