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Writer's pictureSouthend BID

New ‘Closed for Crime’ campaign launches in Southend.

As businesses across the country continue to reopen, Southend Business Improvement District (BID) joined with the Essex Police and Community Safety teams to launch the new ‘Open for Business, Closed for Crime’ campaign in Southend-On-Sea.


The campaign, created by the Essex Police Business Crime Team, centres around supporting public facing employees and raising awareness of the issues of abuse and violence towards staff. Southend BID joined with safety personnel that operate across the High Street on Friday 23rd April 2021 to launch the campaign and arranged meetings between the local head of the campaign and businesses in the town.


Southend BID Manager, Suzanne Gloyne, says “Working in retail can be very stressful, especially in busier periods as we are experiencing now after months of closures. We urge everyone to be patient with staff as they adhere to measures to keep themselves and customers safe in this current period of restrictions.”


“Abusive behaviour is never acceptable and we are urging businesses and their staff to report any incidents to the police. The Street Ranger team are on hand to assist our BID businesses with any instances of crime and we’re proud to work in partnership with the many teams who operate across the town to keep visitors, residents and staff safe.”


Police Constable Alex Plakhtienko, from the Essex Police Business Crime Team, said: “Through our Open for Business Closed for Crime campaign, we are urging businesses to report crime to us so we can investigate and bring offenders to justice. We have zero tolerance for violence and abuse towards retail and hospitality staff.


“Our message to them is that, if you are assaulted or abused, please report it to us through 999, if it is an emergency, online at www.essex.police.uk or on 101.


“We will also support staff who are victims of such crimes and our team works with businesses to provide them with crime prevention guidance.”


Sergeant James Mint, of Southend’s town centre policing team, added: “All of us in the Southend Town Centre Team are proud of our town and have a great relationship with the retailers and businesses.


“We won’t tolerate any abuse of or violence towards staff who work here. We have great real-time links with shops and businesses in the town, which means that we’re in a great position to investigate offences, support victims and businesses and help to make them and the people who come to shop here feel safe.”


Southend BID also provides the DISC crime system for BID members to help manage low-level crime and ASB. The system is a secure, Members-only database and is designed for sharing information and current awareness amongst levy payers. The organisation also hosts a bi-monthly Southend Business Against Crime meeting which is attended by members of the Town Centre Police Team, Business Crime Unit, Community Safety Officers and Outreach Teams. These meetings are open to all BID businesses to attend to hear updates or raise issues they are experiencing.


If you are a Southend BID member who would like to be added to the DISC system, receive contact details for the Townlink radio system or would like a visit from one of the Street Ranger team or the Business Crime Team then get in touch with Southend BID by emailing ‘Hello@SouthendBID.com’. Businesses are invited to contact the Essex Police Business Crime Team, who have plenty of crime prevention advice and resources available for them.





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