How new technology is tackling business crime in Hertfordshire

The ways in which new technology can be used to tackle crime have been explained to local businesses.

Hertfordshire's Independent Business Advisory Group (IBAG) ran a free online event to show firms how to use equipment to protect themselves, and how the police are implementing high-tech crime fighting techniques.

Topics covered included the use of ANPR cameras, motion detectors and high-quality locks, and how they can be used to drive down business crime affecting vehicles and premises.

At the meeting, organised by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire, Chief Inspector Jason Keane told how the Constabulary uses Power BI software to track crime trends across the county. It monitors all crime types and enables response plans to be put in place and officers to be deployed in the areas of highest need.

He also told how the police operate 400 Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras across Hertfordshire and that the county is the fourth highest inputter of data from vehicles in the country. This data is used in a variety of ways including finding vehicles on fake plates doing ‘impossible journeys’ when they show up hundreds of miles apart within a short period of time.

The Constabulary also have a mobile Digital Media Investigations Team which enables the analysis of computers and mobile devices to be done at the scene, rather than being taken away for often long periods to be examined.

Guy Collyer from the Police Crime Prevention Academy gave a presentation about the Secured by Design (SBD) programe which is the police endorsed security initiative. He told businesses the main principles of crime prevention include target hardening, controlling access, removing the target and designing out crime with layouts and equipment.

A representative from the security company Uwatch, an SBD approved company, gave an overview of their products which include cameras and sensors for buildings and properties that can send instant alerts to mobile phones of any intrusions.

IBAG was set up by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire David Lloyd to enable businesses to report issues and crime types which impact them, and to find ways to work together to improve safety and reduce crime.

To find out more details about IBAG or to join please visit https://www.hertscommissioner.org/listening-and-responding/commerciality/.