Norwich businesses are encouraged to find out if they qualify for discounted security radios, helping to reduce crime and disorder and antisocial behaviour.
Norwich Business Improvement District (BID) on 14 November is re-launching “ALERT”, the Norwich Business Crime initiative. Businesses are invited to visit Open, Bank Plain, anytime between 9:00 and 17:00 on the 14th to find out more about the scheme, to sign up to ALERT and to take advantage of new annual discounted rates.
Grant funding has been obtained after a partnership funding bid between Norwich BID and Norfolk Constabulary was approved by Norfolk’s County Community Safety Partnership (NCCSP). Through this funding, businesses operating in the evening economy can sign up to ALERT project 150 and participate in the evening radio scheme for only £150 per annum. Further funding offered by Norwich BID reduces the cost of the day time ALERT scheme to £300 per annum for BID members.
The scheme aims to reduce crime and disorder and antisocial behaviour in Norwich businesses, retail and night time economies, making Norwich a safer place. The scheme provides a digital radio security system, an online information sharing database system “SIRCS”, a 24/7 control room and links directly to CCTV and the police.
These effective radios are carried and used by the SOS, Community First Responders and Norfolk Street Partnership (Street Pastors).
Stefan Gurney, Executive Director of Norwich BID said, “We are very pleased to be working with the Police and to have secured £25k funding. The scheme is already proving successful but we want to involve more Norwich businesses and to help reduce crime for the business community. The greater the number of businesses involved, the stronger the scheme becomes, which further reduces the already nationally low level of crime in Norwich.”
Over the past two Christmas’s, a key trading time in the city, the scheme successfully reduced crime and this is something we want to grow and develop by offering businesses subsidised rates to the ALERT scheme.”
Sgt Darren Brooks of the Norfolk Constabulary Licensing Regulation Team said, “Improved communication between venues operating in the city centre is vital in combating crime and disorder. Licensed premises must work together to keep trouble makers out and make safer nights out for the vast majority who just want to have a good time.”
Gary Pettengell, Founder of Empowering-Communities said, “We are pleased to support business owners in Norwich by enabling them to share information securely to reduce crime and disorder through the use of SIRCS. Our work with the Norwich Alert Scheme helps us achieve our aim of helping to empower victims, communities, vulnerable people and their families.”
Marcus Green, Castle Mall said, “Being a regular user of the scheme has proved beneficial to us in the detection and reduction of crime within Castle Mall, by the information exchanged between the radio users as well as the ability to update ourselves visually using the SIRCS database. The way in which the scheme has been designed with the users in mind allows us to stay up to date without tying us up operationally with paperwork and protocols.”
For more information please call Norwich BID, 01603 727930.
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