THE MALL’S SECURITY TEAM ACCREDITED BY NATIONAL CRIME FIGHTING SCHEME
FIVE members of The Mall Blackburn’s security team have been granted a range of police powers under Lancashire Constabulary’s Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS).
They are the first security officers in Lancashire to be accredited under the scheme, which enables them to work closely with the police to continue to successfully reduce crime.
CSAS is a Home Office initiative that enables the Chief of Police for each force to designate targeted police powers to employees of non-police organisations who contribute to community safety.
The Mall provided funding for the team to be accredited as part of its on-going commitment to retailers and shoppers.
Lead by supervisor Gareth Stead-Clark, the accredited members are Paul Hughes, Ken Shaxon, Paul Masterman and David Naisbitt. They are employees of VSG Security, which is contracted to provide highly trained personnel to the nine Malls across the UK.
The three powers they possess are the access to and sharing of information and intelligence with Lancashire Constabulary, the power to request the name and address of a person acting in an anti-social manner (Section 1 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998) and the power to confiscate alcohol from young persons (Section 1 of the Confiscation of Alcohol (Young Persons) Act 1997).
Loraine Jones, General Manager at The Mall Blackburn, said: “I am very proud of the security team here at The Mall Blackburn and they have worked very hard to reduce crime in recent years.
“They worked very hard to achieve this accreditation and I would like to congratulate them all personally on their achievement.
“The Community Safety Accreditation Scheme is a fantastic initiative that will allow the officers to work proactively with the police to continue this positive trend.”
Keith Francis, Managing Director of VSG Ltd, said: “We are pleased that we have achieved Community Safety Accreditation with support from the management team at The Mall and Lancashire Constabulary has been most supportive throughout the process.”
Lorraine Ellwood, Local Policing Unit Support Officer at Lancashire Constabulary, said: “We will now be rolling the scheme out across Lancashire and I am confident it will be of benefit to everyone living and working in the county.
“Activities such as greater information sharing between the police and accredited people and more visible patrols will benefit traders and shoppers in The Mall and will help to continue to reduce crime.”
-ENDS-
Picture Caption: David Naisbitt, Paul Masterman, Ken Shaxon, Paul Hughes, Julian Platt Chief Inspector Lancashire Police, Keith Francis VSG Managing Director, Gareth Stead-Clark, Ron O'Keeffe Security Manager, Dave Clark Sgt Lancashire Police and Loraine Jones, General Manager at The Mall Blackburn
The Mall is the UK's leading community shopping centre Fund. Managed by Capital & Regional and Aviva Investors, The Mall Fund owns 9 shopping centres across the UK - home to approximately 1220 retail units and attracting approximately 1.9 million shopping visits every week. Shopping as it should be…………. www.themall.co.uk
For further editorial information about The Mall Blackburn, contact Paula Holden, Denise Dawson or Julie Hackett at ICG PR on 01772 679383 or email paula@icgonline.co.uk, denise@icgonline.co.uk or Julie@icgonline.co.uk
More information about the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme:
The Police Reform Act 2002 enables the Commissioner to establish and maintain a Community Safety Accreditation Scheme. Organisations who provide community safety patrols and who satisfy a range of policy requirements may apply to become accredited. Employees of such organisations who have been trained to approved standards may then apply for accreditation themselves.
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