Volume Crime

Victoria is now one of the safest areas in the City of Westminster. Reported crime rates in Victoria have followed a downward trend including statistically high types of crime in the area. The work of the Victoria BID Safe and Secure team has contributed to this.

Police regularly patrol Victoria

Broad reach across the community

• The Victoria Radio Link scheme of more than 120 local radios has been managed connecting businesses with the Metropolitan Police Service and British Transport Police. Radios are carried by the BID’s on-street teams and local police
• The Victoria Emergency Notification System (VENS), which was launched in January 2019, is now being used to keep Victoria’s thousands of visitors, commuters and workers informed in the event of a major incident. Business Members can receive critical information from trusted sources and decide how to better protect their assets and recover.

Victoria Emergency Notification System

An emergency notification app for the area, powered by YUDU Sentinel, was launched in January 2019

• The system is a combination of SMS alert notification, SMS to voice, mass emailing and two way in-app messaging which forms a very complete mass alert system. The integrated document library sets Victoria Emergency Notification System apart from other text notification and business continuity software solutions, as it gives access to relevant counter terrorism advice, disaster recovery and business continuity documentation to its users.
• Currently over 220 businesses are signed up to receive notifications regarding security and the platform won the CIR
  Business Continuity Annual Award for Best Contribution to Continuity and Resilience in December 2020.

Radio Link

The Victoria BID has installed a 24/7 digital radio system  allowing more than 185 radio users to share timely intelligence and connect with local police services fast. Victoria Radio Link brings together businesses, police and CCTV to create a security network allowing business members to share information over a secure radio channel.

Facewatch

A BID ‘first’, Facewatch enables businesses, public and police to tackle low-level crime by sharing images aimed at crime prevention and capturing digital evidence.

Body cameras

Victoria BID has set a ‘first’ in rolling out the use of 28 body-worn cameras worn by police. The devices are credit card-sized and fit neatly onto outer clothing. This benefits proof of evidence collection and protects officers.

Westminster South Licensed Premises Group

Eighty businesses in Westminster South  share information at the BID’s quarterly forum to reduce crime and building a working partnership between alcohol licence holders and enforcement agencies.

Enforcement operations

Multi-agency initiatives bring together enforcement agencies to reduce crime and improve community confidence. Operations range from high-profile enforcement events to covert serious organised crime initiatives which leave no stone unturned in Victoria. Victoria BID  funds professional specialist equipment and technology.

Crime prevention workshops

We support local policing services offering bespoke business crime prevention and safety workshops to combat seasonal crime.

• Over the past year 14 crime prevention surgeries have beenheld in partnership with Metropolitan Police (MPS) and British Transport Police (BTP)

Community Intervention Team

The Community Intervention Team (CIT) is a dedicated daytime street engagement team, funded by the BID and run through The Passage, consisting of three experienced outreach workers that cover the BID footprint. The team look for, and support, individuals rough sleeping in the area in order for them to move away from being involved in detrimental street activity and find a route off the street, in close collaboration with local homelessness services. Those who are bedded down in the area are invited into the Passage Resource Centre to be assessed and to get their basic needs met.

• Over the past year the CIT had over 2300 encounters with over 280 clients. 44% of individuals the team only met once meaning 126 individuals were either taken into accommodation, signposted into other services or started interacting with The Passage