City of London Police Commissioner Angela McLaren was among the speakers at the recent City of London Crime Prevention Association (CoLCPA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) with speeches on the importance of partnership and collaboration in policing and community safety.

Hosted at Vintners’ Hall in the City of London, the CoLCPA AGM was opened by Chairman Don Randall MBE. He highlighted how the CoLCPA is celebrating 20 years supporting crime prevention and this year’s focus: Violence against Women and Girls. He briefly spotlighted other partnership initiatives where CoLCPA has significant involvement, including the City Security Council (CSC), Cross-sector Security and Safety Communications (CSSC), Safer City Partnership, London Resilience and, of course, City Security magazine.

Commissioner Angela McLaren spoke about their unique role in British Policing: “We police the Square Mile, but more than that, we are the National Lead Force for fraud in England and Wales. We lead on the Economic Crime and Cyber Crime Portfolio and are also NPCC lead for business crime and as part of that responsibility we run the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC).”

She highlighted how the City of London Police has supported national events in the past year, including Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, followed by the sombre events of Her Majesty’s funeral and successive events across the City for the proclamation and Coronation of King Charles III.

Commissioner McLaren shared her views on her approach to policing: “Professionalism, integrity and treating people with compassion, both inside and outside the organisation, is how I expect the force to operate.”

She went on to say that: “Police culture clearly remains topical. In simple terms, one where everyone feels part of it. A modern, engaging, professional, people-centred organisation – where people feel valued and give the best possible service to the public we serve.”

She also outlined some key City of London Police projects:

• Police Race Action Plan – aimed at improving outcomes for black people working within or interacting with policing.
• Violence against women and girls – remains at the forefront of policing locally and nationally.
• Safer City Program – delivering state of the art CCTV infrastructure to improve security, detect crime and keep people safe.
• Protect Duty – the NBCC is at the forefront of discussions with the Home Office around coordinating of police/private security liaison and the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme.
• New Fraud Strategy – working with the Home Office, this sets out additional resources, introduces a National Fraud Squad and promises the new fraud and cyber reporting and analysis service to replace Action Fraud.

Richard Riley, the Director of the City of London Police Authority, spoke about the role of crime prevention and community safety in the new Corporate Plan to cover 2025–30: “Ensuring that people are safe and feel safe is already a key component of the Corporation’s stated priority of building a flourishing society.  It contributes to the priority of shaping outstanding environments, and is a pre-requisite of supporting a thriving economy.  Our prosperity and security are mutually reinforcing.”

He also said: “The Police Authority team are clear of the need to collaborate and build effective relationships – inside the Corporation and outside, including with the community represented here – since that is the route to delivering on the objective of ensuring that people living in, working in and visiting this wonderful City are safe and feel safe.“

James Thomson, Chair of the City of London Police Authority and Patron of the City of London Crime Prevention Association, commended the CoLCPA for celebrating its milestone 20th anniversary and for the excellent work it does bringing together partners in the Square Mile to tackle crime and  ensure that it remains safe.

He highlighted the City Police’s priorities – all underpinning the ambition for the City to remain the safest business district in the world and to continue to be the lead in tackling fraud and cyber.

He also highlighted the work of the last 18 months of the Police Authority team campaigning for the inclusion of fraud in the Online Safety Bill and the failure to prevent fraud offence in the Economic Crime and Transparency Bill.

He noted the significant increase in police numbers as part of the Government’s uplift programme. He also noted the long-awaited renewal of the City Police’s accommodation with a new police headquarters; a new Courts Building for fraud and cyber; a new eastern base at Middlesex Street – subject to planning; and a new drive-on firearms range at Dagenham Dock.

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In January 2022, Commissioner Angela McLaren and Assistant Commissioners Pete O’Doherty and Paul Betts began their new roles in the chief officer team at the City of London Police.

Commissioner Angela McLaren began her new role on 4 January 2022 after joining the force in 2020 as Assistant Commissioner for Economic and Cyber Crime.

Commissioner McLaren succeeds Commissioner Ian Dyson QPM, who retired following a 38-year policing career which included six years as commissioner in the Square Mile.

Commissioner McLaren said: “I’ve been overwhelmed by the warm welcome I’ve received at the City of London Police, especially as I joined the force during a global pandemic, making it almost impossible to meet some colleagues face to face.

“This is a truly unique force, both in terms of the local community it operates in, and its national responsibilities for economic and cyber crime. It takes a number of skilled teams to ensure operational standards remain high.

“The last year has been an exceptional time for policing. In the City we have experienced a high level of protest activity, an evolving fraud and cyber crime landscape, and, of course, increased scrutiny following the murder of Sarah Everard.

“Rebuilding trust is essential to ensure UK police forces can operate to the best of their abilities, and to the level expected of them. The relationships we have with the communities we operate in are some of the most important assets at our disposal within UK policing, and we must do all we can to protect them.

“We are soon to launch our new Policing Plan. One of the major themes is to ensure everyone living in, working in or visiting the City of London feels safe in the knowledge that our officers are there to protect them, and we will look to demonstrate this in a number of ways.

“Tackling violence against women and girls is an important part of this. We have introduced a Violence Against Women and Girls task force, made up of officers from across the City of London Police, charity Victim Support, and the City of London Corporation, working in partnership to keep women safe.

“We are also working closely with licensed premises, transport hubs, other forces, and business and community partners to keep everyone safe whilst they enjoy the City. This has included the introduction of initiatives such as Ask for Angela and Street Safe.

“Protecting the City from the threat of terrorism remains a key priority for us. The City is iconic and we must never be complacent. Our Project Servator officers can turn up anywhere at any time to identify suspicious activity and deter those looking to cause disruption.

“As National Lead Force for Economic and Cyber Crime, we are dedicated to protecting the UK from this type of criminality, and to overseeing the policing response. These days we all live our lives more and more online and must do all we can to keep safe in the virtual world.

“While many of us have been spending more time at home on our computers over the last two years as we work together to slow the spread of COVID-19, the instances of online fraud and cyber crime have been increasing in number and complexity.

“Our officers are raising awareness of threats such as romance fraud, phishing scams and card payment fraud, to help protect people from falling for these kinds of schemes, and to provide them with the necessary information to report these offences to us.

“Policing doesn’t just stop once the criminal has been caught.  We have a duty of care to support victims of crime, and to constantly evaluate and improve the service we provide to them. We will work with partners and third- party organisations to ensure the welfare of victims, and to gather feedback on how our performance can be improved. We will also focus on bringing more offenders to justice, and work with partners to prevent re-offending. Our new plan will very much have victims at its heart.

“The past two years have been very challenging for society and policing. But with the support of my new chief officer team, and a dedicated workforce, we can look forward to a positive future in the City.”

Assistant Commissioners Pete O’Doherty and Paul Betts

At the start of January 2022, Assistant Commissioners Pete O’Doherty and Paul Betts were welcomed into the City of London Police by the force’s new commissioner, Angela McLaren.

AC O’Doherty rejoins the force following two and a half years at the South East Regional Crime Unit at Thames Valley Police, where he held the role of Assistant Chief Constable in charge of regional crime and counter terrorism.  His new title is UK lead for Policing Fraud.

AC O’Doherty said: “I am excited to be back at the City of London Police. It feels like returning home after spending most of my career here.

“I have found myself enormously impressed by the steps the force is taking to make the City of London Police an increasingly inclusive and diverse place to work.  I will encourage everyone to celebrate individualism across the workforce, and by doing so, ensure everyone has fair access to opportunity.

“With regards to my national role overseeing economic crime, cyber crime and fraud across the UK, I am looking forward to working with our experts in this space. Our whole portfolio of teams, including Action Fraud, the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED), the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) and the Dedicated Card Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU) are working tirelessly to identify and prevent different types of fraud.

“Our recent work highlighting the dangers of romance fraud has provided the public with information on how to improve their online safety, and tools to report their concerns. One of my priorities is to ensure we provide the best support possible to victims of fraud.”

AC Betts will oversee operational policing and security. He joined the City of London Police from the Metropolitan Police Service where he held the position of Commander and Head of Professional Standards and Recognition. Before that, he spent over a decade at Sussex Police working across a number of key areas, including public order and public safety, firearms, transformation and contact, and command and control.

AC Betts said: “I am impressed with the close-knit, community feel of the City of London Police. It is clear that our officers and staff are firmly embedded in the communities they serve, and are dedicated to keeping people safe and secure.

“The City of London is a unique environment, and although we are surrounded by offices, there is also a thriving residential community and around 20 million visitors per year (pre- COVID) to the iconic sites situated in the Square Mile. Because of this, our officers deal with a wide variety of criminal activity using a number of different assets, such as our mounted unit and state-of-the-art CCTV technology. I am looking forward to learning more about how our officers and staff collaborate to ensure the most effective results.

“Recent events have damaged the trust the public has in UK policing. One of my priorities is to rebuild that trust and ensure our officers and staff are operating at the highest possible standards.

“I want all of our communities to feel safe and be safe in the City and in particular I will look to tackle the threat of violence against women and girls.

“I’ve been encouraged by what I’ve seen so far, and I look forward to building on this.”

The City of London Police is currently recruiting. If you are considering a career in policing visit: https://careers.cityoflondon.police.uk/

To report a crime, or provide us with information, visit the City of London Police website or call 101

If you would like to make an anonymous report, please visit Crimestoppers or call

0800 555 111

Always call 999 in an emergency.

Read more articles on the City of London Police

Read related article below from retired City of London Police Commissioner Ian Dyson:

Retired Commissioner Ian Dyson on future of policing

The post New chief officer team at City of London Police appeared first on City Security Magazine.

Following a distinguished career in policing spanning almost 40 years, Commissioner Ian Dyson, of the City of London Police, retired on 2nd January 2022.  Here, he reflects on his experiences, and what lies ahead for policing in the UK.

I think the UK police service has much to be proud of, and also, many challenges ahead.  One of UK policing’s strengths is its response to terrorism. The Manchester Arena Inquiry, which is investigating the deaths of the victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena attack, will report on some areas where improvements can be made. However, other events of recent years have shown, in my view, how UK law enforcement protects its citizens from a threat that has grown in scale and complexity.

I also believe UK policing’s approach to managing its responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic is a mark of how we operate well in a devolved framework.

Frequently changing regulation and legislation, often at odds with existing legislation, was managed with respect for the citizen. ‘The 4 Es’ approach – where officers work systematically to engage, explain, encourage, and then, as a last resort, enforce – contrasts with enforcement techniques elsewhere in the world, but has proven successful here. That said, challenges remain.

I was appalled, like the rest of the police service, by the murder of Sarah Everard, and the subsequent conviction of Wayne Couzens – a serving police officer. It will take time to rebuild some people’s trust, which has been damaged by this abuse of power and authority.

The way we carry out police work has changed a great deal since the start of my career, and this has primarily been due to people moving much of their lives online. Cyber crime is one of the fastest growing criminal activities across the world, and it affects individuals and businesses. Cyber criminals seek to exploit human or security vulnerabilities in order to steal passwords, data or money. We have seen a sharp increase in this type of crime during the COVID-19 pandemic, as people have spent more time online.

The landscape and intelligence picture has evolved rapidly, highlighting the need to hire individuals who have the skills to continuously adapt in order to outsmart offenders. This has meant an overhaul of traditional methods of recruitment. In some ways, this has made UK policing more inclusive. Stereotypes surrounding the traditional ‘bobby on the beat’ are no longer relevant, as we aim to appeal to a wider demographic of abilities and backgrounds to strengthen our portfolio of skills.

Working with the private sector is also vital. In the world of counter terrorism, the partnership model has been strong and enduring over many years, and the depth of working now is truly impressive. When we talk about fraud, cyber crime and some of the other challenges facing the police, many of the skills, and much of the data we need, can be found outside our organisation. At any one time, the City of London Police has around 30 people seconded in from different sectors, enhancing our existing workforce and enabling valuable knowledge-sharing.

Policing now is more accountable, more dispersed (in both the online and the real world), more diverse, and more open to scrutiny than 40 years ago. Uniforms have changed beyond recognition, opinion on policy is more challenging and more readily shared, and the public care far more now than they did before about how we police, as well as what we do. But police officers’ ambitions, in my view, remain constant and have changed little: protect the vulnerable; confront the unsociable and unlawful; and lock up the bad people. I am hugely proud to have been a part of it.

Commissioner Ian Dyson, City of London Police

Commissioner Dyson’s career highlights

• Commissioner Dyson started his career in the Metropolitan Police Service in 1983.
• He spent time in many areas of the service, including crime and drug squads, vice and strategic planning.
• He spent 20 years as a public order commander, working in the command team of most major events in London.
• He moved to Surrey Police as Assistant Chief Constable in June 2008, overseeing some of the highest public confidence levels in the country and improving neighbourhood policing.
• In September 2010, he joined the City of London Police as a Commander and, two years later, was promoted to Assistant Commissioner. His portfolio of responsibilities included leading on Professional Standards and Equality, Diversity and Human Rights.
• He led the national roll-out of the 101 non-emergency number, and has overseen the City of London Police’s role as the National Lead Force for fraud and economic crime and, more recently, cyber crime.
• Promoted to Commissioner in 2016, he has led the City of London Police through a number of high profile major incidents, including terrorist attacks, large-scale protests and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic.
• He was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for distinguished service in the 2016 New Year Honours.

See more articles on City of Police, in particular see New Chief Officer team at the City of London Police and The impact of Wayne Couzens on Policing by Consent in the UK.

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People are understandably keen to return to some semblance of normality, as the country moves to the fourth step of the Government’s roadmap after almost 18 months of COVID-19 impacting everyone’s lives.

It’s only natural to want to catch up with friends and colleagues and enjoy all that our towns and cities have to offer, after so long communicating through computer screens. At the City of London Police, we want to ensure that everyone can enjoy their new-found freedom safely.

One of our priorities is tackling violence against women and girls. This is also a priority for the Government, which recently launched a strategy focusing on prevention and support.

We have been working with Good Night Out, a campaign for safer night life, which believes nights out should be about fun and freedom, not fear.

Together, we aim to help nightlife spaces and organisations to better understand, respond to, and prevent sexual harassment and assault. The Good Night Out campaign does this through specialist training, policy support and an accreditation programme, which can help to give people confidence that accredited venues will be welcoming and safe.

With Good Night Out and the City of London Corporation, we are proud to be part of the Reframe the Night campaign across the Square Mile, which aims to challenge and reframe common myths about who is responsible for sexual violence in nightlife.

The campaign encourages people to be an active bystander and challenge unhelpful attitudes or harmful beliefs, to draw an active link between these attitudes and the violence they enable. Historically, a culture of ‘victim-blaming’ has prevailed, which can lead to people who experience sexual violence asking themselves what they could have done to prevent it. They may ask themselves if it would have happened if they’d dressed differently, or they may question if they have taken a ‘joke’ too seriously.

Of course, it’s always the perpetrator who is responsible. That’s why it’s so important that harmful attitudes and beliefs are challenged with campaigns like Reframe the Night.

It’s also vital that people become active bystanders. This means that if you think someone is feeling unsafe or uncomfortable in a situation, it’s ok to ask if they’re ok. If you still have concerns, let a member of staff or security know. They will be able to help. And if they have been working with us as part of the campaign, they will have the extra know-how to deal with the situation sensitively and appropriately.

We’re also working to tackle violence against women and girls in the home. With COVID-19 restrictions meaning we all had to stay at home, this will have been unimaginably terrifying for people whose home is not a safe place.

There are many barriers that may stop a survivor of domestic abuse from leaving an abusive relationship: fear; isolation; lack of support; shame and low self esteem. It’s important to understand these and remember that the only person responsible for the abuse is the abuser. That’s why campaigns like Crimestoppers’ London Hidden Harms seeks to educate people about domestic abuse, which can often be hidden from view, and know the signs to spot.

People are encouraged to report their suspicions if they believe someone they know is being abused. Crimestoppers can take reports in multiple different languages, online and on the phone, and they guarantee the anonymity of anyone who makes a report.

They will pass the information to the relevant police force who, with partners, may be able to intervene away from the abuser to check on the person who may be being abused.

Sexual violence and domestic abuse has no place in the City. Together, we can be the change that’s needed. By educating ourselves and others, challenging harmful attitudes, supporting survivors and working to bring perpetrators to justice, we can help to make sure everyone is safe from harm.

Keep safe. Stay well.

Tips for staying safe while out and about

Be prepared

Plan your route in advance. Carry a charged mobile phone and a bank card or cash, and tell someone where you’re going.

Be aware

Using a mobile phone, whether making a call or texting, wearing a hood or listening to loud music all affect your awareness of your surroundings.

Trust your instincts

Try to avoid walking alone at night in places such as parks and side streets or any unfamiliar environment. If you do have to walk, stick to busy places where there is a lot of activity, CCTV and good lighting.

Make a plan

Discuss with friends what to do if something were to go wrong on your night out or you get separated. Agree a backup plan and look out for one another.

Click here to read previous updates from the AC

Click here to read more articles on personal safety

Click here for more articles on the City of London Police 

The post AC Sutherland security update autumn 2021 appeared first on City Security Magazine.

As life thankfully starts to return to some degree of normality with the easing of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, it’s important to remember the opportunities that an increased presence back in the workplace and increased footfall in Publicly Accessible Locations (PALs) provides to criminals and terrorists.

After a year of living under restrictions that impacted all our lives, it’s understandable that people are keen to get out and about, see family and friends, and do all of the things that they were able to freely enjoy before the pandemic began. It’s also vital that businesses and venues are able to return to regular trading patterns.

Let’s enjoy these freedoms, but in a way that helps keep us safe, not just from COVID-19 but from terrorism and other crime as well.

The threat to the UK from terrorism remains at ‘substantial’, which means an attack is likely.

Understandably, the terrorist threat won’t necessarily have been at the forefront of everyone’s minds recently. It would be fair to say that the threat was temporarily reduced to some extent during lockdown, because public spaces were less crowded.

But we need to be aware that terrorists may take advantage of the easing of restrictions.

We believe that the best defence against this threat is a collective community effort – where police, security staff, businesses and the public come together to minimise the chance of attack.

From an individual perspective, there are steps you can take to support this 24/7 effort to tackle terrorism and save lives.

• Complete the free ACT Awareness e-learning. It takes 45 minutes, but you also have the option to complete modules separately at a time to suit you. The training is designed to teach you about the threat we face from terrorism, what to do in the event of an attack and how you can help by reporting suspicious activity. Hundreds of thousands of people across the UK have already participated. Visit https://ct.highfieldelearning.com to register.
• When you’re out and about, be aware of your surroundings and remain vigilant.
• If you don’t feel right about something you see or hear, trust your instincts and ACT.

Remember, communities defeat terrorism.

• Report what you have seen or heard to security staff or a police officer.
• You can also report online anonymously and quickly via www.gov.uk/ACT or you can call the police in confidence on 0800 789 321. In an emergency, you should always call 999.
• In the unlikely event that you are caught up in an attack, the best way you can keep yourself and others safe is to Run, Hide, Tell:
  • Run from the danger;
  • Hide if you cannot run;
  • Tell the police what is happening, only when safe to do so, by calling 999.

I’d urge all of you to complete the ACT Awareness e-learning training if you haven’t already. It’s not intended to scare or alarm you, but to ensure you know what to do in the unlikely event of being involved in an emergency situation. We have seen time and again that people who know how to react in the event of an emergency are able to respond more quickly and decisively to keep themselves and others safe.

If you are in doubt about whether you should report something you’ve seen or heard, trust your instincts. No piece of information is considered too small or insignificant.

Specially trained officers and staff would rather take lots of calls that are made in good faith but have innocent explanations, than not get any at all.

You’re not wasting our time, and no call or click is ignored. What you tell us is treated in the strictest confidence and thoroughly researched by experienced officers before, and if, any police action is taken.

It’s not just terrorists who may seek to take advantage of our new-found freedoms. Other criminals will be looking for opportunities to commit crime as our towns and cities get busier

You can keep yourself and your property safe by following some simple steps:

• Keep your mobile phone and valuables out of sight.
• Try to avoid texting while you walk as this could make it easier for thieves on bikes or mopeds to snatch it out of your hand.
• Never leave a mobile, any other device, wallet or purse on the table of an outdoor café, pub or restaurant.
• Alcohol and drugs reduce reaction times and inhibitions, which makes it harder to assess risks and decide how to deal with them. So keep an eye on how much you drink and never let your glass or bottle out of your sight.
• If you’re using a cash machine, look out for devices attached to the machine – some aremore obvious than others. If it doesn’t look or feel right then steer clear and, if possible, go inside the bank where it will be safer.
• If you’re threatened with violence, don’t risk your personal safety. Property can be replaced, you can’t.

For more information on keeping yourself and your property safe, visit www.cityoflondon.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention

Keep safe. Stay well.

Assistant Commissioner, Alistair Sutherland, City of London Police

The post AC Sutherland security update: summer 2021 appeared first on City Security Magazine.

It is safe to say that life in the Square Mile has changed dramatically since the start of the year. Residents will have seen the COVID-19 pandemic reduce the normal hustle and bustle to a whisper as people have taken to working from home and many businesses have been forced to close their doors.

Now, as lockdown begins to ease and the crowds are starting to return, Counter Terrorism Security Advisors (CTSAs) from the City of London Police continue to support our communities to help them stay safe while trying to navigate the ‘new normal’.

With much of life moving outdoors, CTSAs across not just London, but the wider country, have been working to highlight potential new threats and minimise risk. The pedestrianisation of spaces outside pubs, bars and restaurants; changes in where people are spending their time; and new factors such as the introduction of face coverings, queueing systems and pavement signage to encourage social distancing, must all be taken into account when considering public safety.

We, at the City of London Police, have taken a dynamic approach to tackling what is not an easy task. Through working with key stakeholders across the City, including transport operators, event organisers and neighbouring police forces, we have been able to enhance existing measures and put in place new ones to help maximise safety and security.

By working with the local authority, planning offices and the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI), security plans are in place for planned activities and events, with the introduction of various temporary and permanent security measures. But as the uncertainty around COVID-19 makes it necessary to continuously adapt and evolve our approach, it is only with input from residents, businesses and partners that we can do this successfully.

While public safety around COVID-19 continues to be a high priority for us, we are addressing other security matters through initiatives such as our partnership with the City of London Corporation and the Secure City programme. Through this collaboration we are looking at ways in which privately owned CCTV can provide ‘real time’ data and how controllers can be given greater power to deploy resources where necessary, and monitor and record situations more effectively.

One of the most impactful ways in which we are building relationships is by providing learning opportunities to businesses and members of the public. By encouraging people to undertake training, such as the Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) Awareness e-learning, we gain more eyes and ears on the ground that can better help us to understand and reduce potential vulnerabilities and provide vital information that could help to save lives. ACT Awareness e-learning, which more than half a million people have signed up for so far, equips individuals with the tools to recognise suspicious activity, and to understand what to do in the event of a terrorist incident.

Another key tool available to organisations is See, Check and Notify (SCaN) training, which enables them to learn how to maximise their safety, and the safety of their customers and colleagues, using existing resources. This course advocates for the use of excellent customer service practices to ensure staff are visible, knowledgeable and approachable, and teaches employees to identify when things are out of the ordinary, and what to do when these instances occur.

We have also introduced a new City Silver role, which is delivered by a cadre of highly trained Chief Inspectors. They work in the force’s control room taking responsibility for all aspects of operational delivery, including spontaneous threat, harm and risk. They also take direct responsibility for our response to critical and major incidents. This ensures the force is responsive to emerging threats and able to make dynamic decisions around resources and tasking. The role provides visible, decisive and supportive leadership, and those officers are empowered to make decisions that best serve the needs of our communities.

In my last column, I talked about our trial of sector patrols to enable us to maximise our visibility, reassure the public and deter crime. These continue to be refined before we bring them in later in the year.

Through all of this work, we aim to ensure safety is at the forefront of people’s minds when going about their business in the City.

To help remind people of the importance of this, we plan to increase opportunities for our CTSAs to be in the online space, to discuss important issues, provide timely advice and guidance and engage with our communities there as well as in everyday life.

We all have to accept that life may not return to how it was before for a while. As we adapt to new ways of operating, so too do criminals. We are determined to retain our focus on our ambition to make the Square Mile the safest city area in the world.  We are here to listen to our community’s concerns, provide the best advice and guidance available, and work together to create a more secure environment for everyone.  When it comes to keeping the City safe – together we’ve got it covered.

Assistant Commissioner Alistair Sutherland, City of London Police

For more updates from AC Sutherland, see all articles in our City of London Police category.

The post City of London Police autumn update from AC Sutherland appeared first on City Security Magazine.

Assistant Commissioner Alistair Sutherland,City of London Police, writes exclusively in his second column in City Security magazine.

 So much has changed since my last column. Without exception, all of our lives have been impacted by COVID-19 and our daily routines are completely transformed.

Society has been forced to adapt quickly and we’ve all had to accept that life may not return to how it was before any time soon, if ever. As all of us have adapted to the fast-moving situation, criminals are no exception. They will use any opportunity to defraud innocent people.

Throughout the pandemic, we at the City of London Police, in our role as the lead police force for economic crime, have worked with the Government, law enforcement, security agencies, regulators and the private sector to protect the public and businesses from all types of fraud.

We have seen a number of scams relating to COVID-19. These include people falling victim to online shopping scams, and fake websites and emails posing as genuine companies. Criminals are also using Government branding to try to trick people, including using HMRC branding in unsolicited emails, calls and texts to make spurious offers of financial support.

More remote working presents an opportunity for criminals to commit computer software service fraud. This involves offers of help to fix devices. As IT systems are under increased pressure, such offers may seem more believable. In reality, criminals are trying to gain access to your computer or get you to divulge your login details and passwords.

Together, we are working day and night to protect the public and bring these criminals to justice. We have:

• Developed, with partners, a suspicious email reporting service, which, in its first three weeks, saw 300,000 reports from the public that led to 2,250 links to scam web pages being taken down;
• Charged a man with making and selling fake COVID-19 treatment kits;
• Executed warrants against people suspected of sending emails and texts purporting to be from the Government;
• Disseminated 131 COVID-19-related fraud reports to police forces for investigative action and victim support;
• Issued disruption notices to industry partners requesting suspension of 59 websites, email accounts and phone accounts identified through Action Fraud reports as being linked to COVID-19 fraud;
• Held a number of free cyber security webinars and produced a series of videos with tips for safe homeworking.

Sadly, criminals are likely to continue to exploit people’s financial concerns to try to take advantage of the pandemic. Fraud is incredibly difficult to predict and, while we are monitoring trends carefully, the most important thing is to get the message out there to be aware, be alert, and think twice before parting with money or personal details.

Our work to protect people from fraud has been done alongside our local response to the pandemic, providing a visible presence to reassure communities and deter criminal activity across the Square Mile.

Our day-to-day experience of policing during the pandemic has reinforced the importance of bringing about a number of changes I spoke about in my last column, where I promised to keep you updated on how we are progressing in our ambition to make the Square Mile the safest city area in the world.

Over the next three to five years, as part of our corporate plan, we plan to introduce a new local policing model. Our policing teams will move to covering geographical sectors, each with a senior officer who is responsible for their sector and accountable to the residents, workers and stakeholders within it. During our response to the pandemic, we have trialled sector patrols and found that these have been successful in maximising our visibility, reassuring the public and deterring crime.

We know our business community has been particularly concerned about non-residential burglary during this time, with businesses closed down or adjusting their working hours and staffing numbers to help control the spread of COVID-19. Keeping business premises safe has been a priority for us.

In my last column, I said that, by now, if you live or work in the City, you would have begun to see a difference in the way we deliver our policing services. Inevitably, some of these changes have had to be delayed as we divert our precious resources towards our response to the pandemic. However, we remain committed to delivering these changes to make this the safest city area in the world, and I will keep you updated on our progress in future columns.

As we move into the next phases of the Government’s plan to ease lockdown restrictions, I want to reassure you that we will continue to work around the clock, with our partners, to keep you safe. Whether that’s protecting your workplace from burglary, sharing advice about how to protect yourself online, or simply being there on the streets of the Square Mile to offer reassurance, we will be here for you.

Protect yourself from fraud and cybercrime

www.actionfraud.police.uk

Protect devices and online networks

www.ncsc.gov.uk

If you’ve fallen for a scam…

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The post City of London Police update – Assistant Commissioner Alistair Sutherland appeared first on City Security Magazine.

Assistant Commissioner Alistair Sutherland City of London Police writes exclusively in his first column in City Security magazine.

Welcome to the first of my regular columns for City Security, where I will be keeping you updated on how we at the City of London Police are progressing in our ambition to make the Square Mile the safest city area in the world, as part of our corporate plan over the next three to five years.

We know that achieving this won’t be easy and there will be challenges along the way, but we are confident that by working with our partners and the wider community and implementing some of the exciting developments on the horizon in 2020, we will move closer towards our goal.

By the middle of the year, if you live or work in the City, you will begin to see a difference in the way we deliver our policing services.

Our policing teams will move to covering geographical sectors, each with a senior officer who is responsible for their sector and accountable to the residents, workers and stakeholders within it. On a day-to-day level, you should notice officers out and about more often and taking opportunities to become more involved in the community fighting crime.

Our enhanced focus will be on reducing and preventing crime. We will continue working with our partners, including other police forces and emergency services, the City of London Corporation and businesses, to identify and address current and emerging crime trends and use innovative methods to keep the City safe. We are embracing cutting-edge technology, with an enhanced security zone incorporated into a programme of work to improve the City’s use of innovative technologies and strategies and create a ‘smarter’ City, as part of the Secure City programme.

Sector teams will be supported by a range of policing colleagues, including those focusing on investigations, intelligence, specialist operations, road traffic, public order and tactical firearms officers.

We will also seek to make better use of our wonderful police service volunteers and specials who so generously give up their own time to help us achieve our aim.

There will be a significant increase in the number of police officers working in the City, as part of an uplift of 100 officers, which includes Project Servator officers who are specially trained to spot the signs that someone may be planning or preparing to commit a crime, and highly skilled firearms officers.

We only have to look at terrible incidents on our own doorstep, like the attack at Fishmongers’ Hall in November, to be reminded of the ever-present terrorist threat that we face and the professionalism and speed of response shown by our officers who arrived at the scene and confronted the attacker, together with courageous members of the public, without a thought for their own safety.

In the face of such threats, we are resilient and, after an attack, daily life resumes fairly quickly. But we cannot be complacent.

The Fishmongers’ Hall attack happened just a few weeks after the threat to the UK from international terrorism was lowered from severe to substantial, meaning an attack is likely.

As a global financial powerhouse, drawing in hundreds of thousands of workers every weekday, the City of London will always be an attractive target for those seeking to cause harm.

In order to counter this threat and protect not only the people who live and work here but the UK’s financial interests, we are constantly striving to improve how and when we share intelligence with our partners, particularly in the security industry.

We are acutely aware that cooperation between the public, commercial organisations, partner agencies and the police remains the greatest advantage in tackling the challenge the UK faces from terrorism.

If you want to learn more about how you can work with us in this area, please contact our corporate plan team: COLPCorporatePlanEnquiries@cityoflondon.police.uk

And it is in that spirit of cooperation that we intend to make the Square Mile the safest city area in the world.

As we progress through 2020, I hope to be able to share more insights into how we are doing and will be delighted if you can join us on our journey.

The post Assistant Commissioner Alistair Sutherland City of London Police appeared first on City Security Magazine.

 We recently met with Assistant Commissioner Alistair Sutherland to learn more about the successful pilot of a new City of London Police community partnership initiative.

Bloomberg, the global financial information and technology company, has funded enhanced community policing for the local ward, home to its European headquarters at the heart of the City. Part of Bloomberg’s commitment to support the local community, the partnership aims to improve the policing service for people working and visiting the area.

Starting the day at the local police station, this additional uniformed ward officer then works out of the Bloomberg offices. The officer is available during normal office hours and, in that time, patrols the local ward, provides an interface around any crime issues and carries out normal ward officer duties. In addition, the officer runs crime prevention initiatives and seminars at Bloomberg for the local community.

This community presence enables an immediate response to local incidents. Recently, the officer was on-hand when a shoplifting offence took place and was able to apprehend that perpetrator and bring them into the station very quickly.

This additional officer for the City of London Police is wholly funded by Bloomberg, and AC Sutherland says, “We would like to see this as a project for working that can be replicated across the City. Our number one ambition is to be the safest city area in the world.  We cannot do that on our own, it has to be a joint effort: police, public and business working in partnership.”

AC Sutherland went on to explain the significance of this initiative for other areas in the City. “The huge development taking place in the City, particularly the eastern cluster, means we are expecting a further 75,000 people per day over the next three years, on top of the 515,000 currently. That is a significant additional challenge for us to police and this gives a better opportunity to be visible, to prevent crime and provide reassurance.”

This is just the beginning. AC Sutherland says, “Like never before, we are opening ourselves up for much more partnership and joint working, being part of community.” To further explain these new plans as they unfold in 2020, the Assistant Commissioner has agreed to a regular column in City Security magazine.

The post New City of London Police community partnership initiative appeared first on City Security Magazine.

“Policing is something we do with people, not to people.” How is this mantra driving the City of London Police’s approach to enhancing security in the Square Mile?

Our ambition, together with the City of London Corporation, is to develop a world-leading protective security regime within the Square Mile. This work, modernising and expanding the existing ring-of-steel security measures, is aimed at ensuring the Square Mile becomes the world’s safest city area by 2025.

To ensure that the improvements meet the requirements of our stakeholders and communities, we’re reaching out through an extensive series of engagement activities.

This work is being delivered under the banner of ‘Secure Cities’, which recognises that many capital cities across the globe are making significant strides in improving their security measures. We want to identify these ‘best in class’ approaches and bring them back to the Square Mile under our local Secure City programme.

The first step in reaching out to our community was a public security exhibition at the City Centre in Basinghall Street, in the City of London in spring 2019. It provided an overview of security in the City from the times of the Romans’ defensive wall through to the modern day.

The exhibition showcased innovative security approaches used in twelve cities around the world and invited visitors to vote for what they believe are the most important security issues. They were also invited to complete an online survey after their visit with more in-depth questions about the City’s future security plans.

School groups visited the exhibition and tasked with their own unique challenge: to design a new police box fit for the 21st century.

Think smart glass and multi-function, rather than Tardis! Their entries will come back to the City Centre to be judged by the public.

In addition to the exhibition, a series of stakeholder breakfast events took place in February, continuing into March. These have focused on different elements of future security: the built environment; cyber: and people – providing attendees with a forum to share ideas and influence future security in the City.

We’re also delivering some targeted work with communities that are often overlooked when security matters are discussed.

As part of all this, we’re keen to hear from our stakeholders and communities, including large organisations, small and medium-sized businesses, City residents, workers and transport groups.

Please tell us what you want to see as part of our future security arrangements so that we can use your views to enhance our local response to the threats we face.

Take our short survey at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/SecureCity

By working together, I’m confident we can realise the ambition to make the Square Mile the world’s safest city area by 2025.

Supt Ollie Shaw, City of London Police

See also:

Exclusive interview with Ian Dyson, Commissioner City of London Police

Articles from our Police & Partnerships category for City of London Police

The post The Secure City Programme appeared first on City Security Magazine.