January 2015 Breakfast Briefing
Venue: Milton Keynes
Date: 29 Jan 2015
A business crime strategy is on the way for Milton Keynes says city police commander
Milton Keynes police has no strategy to fight business crime, but that is set to change says Supt Gez Chiariello, with the help of MK Business Leaders.
Supt Chiariello, who took up his role as Local Policing Area Commander in MK six months ago, told Milton Keynes Business Leaders Partnership that after being invited to speak at its regular breakfast briefing on the issue of business crime, he looked for a related strategy locally or within Thames Valley Police – but he couldn’t find one.
He admitted: “TVP has no formal business crime strategy and there has been no requirement for a local strategy, yet business forms a significant community within Milton Keynes. So I felt it incumbent on me to develop one.”
Supt Chiariello told Business Leaders’ members and guests that business crime is defined as an offence committed against a person or property motivated by the connection of that person or property to a business. That can include theft from retail premises, online and cyber-crime and fraud.
“A business crime strategy will aim to reduce crime against businesses in Milton Keynes through engagement and sharing of intelligence so crime trends and perpetrators can be identified, and appropriate prevention advice or actions be put in place.
“It should also achieve a shared understanding of the definition of business crime and support business crime forums and watch-schemes that encourage partnership working and problem solving.”
He said the police should have the trust and confidence of the business community for them to report crime and incidents, and that they would support communities and victims of business crime and ensure they receive a response from the police.
“The way forward is to review any existing partnership arrangements, confirm and clearly define the issues, clarify any actions for the police and the business community and develop a plan with key milestones and measures,” he said, inviting MK Business Leaders to be involved in helping draw up a strategy.
That invitation was accepted by MK Business Leaders’ chairman Dr Philip Smith who said their members would embrace any initiative to tackle a problem which cost businesses and their clients and customers hundreds of millions of pounds a year.
“The business community needs to be talking to and working with the police on this important national issue and MK Business Leaders is pleased to take a lead on it here in Milton Keynes,” he said.
Pictured: Supt Gez Chiariello and Dr Philip Smith chairman MK Business Leaders Partnership.
The MK BLP Breakfast Briefing took place on January 29, 2014.