Step up in crime fight

As a result of collaborative working between the Business Crime Partnership (BCP) and the business community in Northern Ireland new plans have been launched to tackle criminality that threatened the livelihood of the local commercial sector.BCP partners, including the Department of Justice, Police Service of Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Policing Board, and Police and Community Safety Partnerships, with the support of businesses from across Northern Ireland have launched an action plan and support website designed to meet the needs of local businesses.(L-R)PSNI Business Crime Lead, Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd, DOJ Chair of Business Crime Partnership Sinead Simpson, Aodhan Connolly Director NI Retail Consortium and Roger Pollen Head of External Affairs, Federation of Small Businesses. Photo by Aaron McCracken

BCP partners, including the Department of Justice, Police Service of Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Policing Board, and Police and Community Safety Partnerships, with the support of businesses from across Northern Ireland have launched an action plan and support website designed to meet the needs of local businesses.

Department of Justice, Sinead Simpson, Chair of BCP said: “Respect for the law and each other are fundamental requirements for a stable society. The Business Crime Partnership exists to support the thousands of businesses, large and small, who work in a fiercely challenging sector to serve our community.

“Working in partnership with the commercial sector we aim to deliver around the clock support, advice and guidance for businesses to help them protect themselves from criminals who seek to target them.

“I would encourage all business to follow the simple advice and guidance we are offering and to join with us and tackle business crime together.”

The revised Business Crime Action Plan takes a two strand approach. It focuses on providing crime prevention and protective security advice to tackle the increasingly sophisticated methods criminals are using to target businesses. The plan also sets out to identify new ways in which the Criminal Justice System can directly support businesses.

The Business Crime Action Plan can be found at: www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/business-crime or can be obtained in hard copy by contacting: [email protected]