The Double Jab Amateur Boxing Club has showcased the security improvements that have been made to it as part of the Metropolitan Police’s Youth and Community Centre Safety Scheme.
The Youth and Community Centre Safety Scheme is a blue light collaboration between the Metropolitan Police Service, London Fire Brigade, London Ambulance Service and Secured by Design which aims to create safer places for staff and members of the community to enjoy educational, diversionary and community based activities.
To date 26 venues across the capital have benefitted from the scheme, with ongoing funding being provided by the Mayor’s Office.
The security works that the Double Jab ABC in Deptford benefitted from included a glazed security rated door and airlock system, CCTV, access control and a bespoke ventilation fire door system, with works being completed by SBD member company Premier Security and Fire Consultants. The London Fire Brigade also carried out inspections of the premises to identify and mitigate any fire hazards as well as provide advice around fire evacuation plans, with the London Ambulance Service providing a defibrillator along with the necessary training to use it.
The Metropolitan Police’s James Smith, the lead Designing Out Crime Officer for the scheme, said: “The solution that we came up with was designing and creating bespoke vented panels that allow a huge amount of airflow throughout the room. Standing next to them with one open you can really feel the huge amount of cool air coming through.
“In the summer, it is absolutely invaluable, it means that the doors can be kept shut and the people inside can be kept safe.
The Double Jab Amateur Boxing Club has showcased the security improvements that have been made to it as part of the Metropolitan Police’s Youth and Community Centre Safety Scheme.
The Youth and Community Centre Safety Scheme is a blue light collaboration between the Metropolitan Police Service, London Fire Brigade, London Ambulance Service and Secured by Design which aims to create safer places for staff and members of the community to enjoy educational, diversionary and community based activities. To date 26 venues across the capital have benefitted from the scheme, with ongoing funding being provided by the Mayor’s Office.
The security works that the Double Jab ABC in Deptford benefitted from included a glazed security rated door & airlock system, CCTV, access control & a bespoke ventilation fire door system, with works being completed by SBD member company Premier Security and Fire Consultants. The London Fire Brigade also carried out inspections of the premises to identify and mitigate any fire hazards as well as provide advice around fire evacuation plans, with the London Ambulance Service providing a defibrillator along with the necessary training to use it.
The Metropolitan Police’s James Smith, the lead Designing Out Crime Officer for the scheme, said: “We’re now in the third year of the scheme and I’m delighted we’re going from strength to strength. Double Jab offered us some particular challenges, mainly because of the doors at the rear – the air condition doesn’t work properly, which then creates a problem for the ventilation at the back. The doors lead directly out into public space, so from that rear door you’re directly out into this park – if that door remains open then that creates a serious security risk. However the doors needed to be open to create airflow whilst the gym is being used and having been here in the summer I can confirm that it is very, very warm.
“The solution that we came up with was designing and creating bespoke vented panels that allow a huge amount of airflow throughout the room. Standing next to them with one open you can really feel the huge amount of cool air coming through. In the summer it is absolutely invaluable, it means that the doors can be kept shut and the people inside can be kept safe.
“I am particularly proud of those vents, not just because they fulfilled the brief of the functionality but because they look good. It’s an elegant solution to a problem and that’s what we like to do. The YACCSS scheme from the very off was not about turning places into fortresses, we want places to feel welcoming.
“The other part of the ethos is to look after the staff. Obviously any venue like this, any youth or community centre, is about keeping the young people safe and secure but in order to do that properly we have to do that to the staff first – we have to make sure that they’re safe, they’re secure and they have confidence in their security measures, so that they have complete control over who’s coming in and they don’t have to keep looking over their shoulder wondering who’s coming in the door next. That then means that they can spend all their time and effort engaging with these young people doing what they do best – and let’s be honest, these guys are superheroes, the amount of time, effort and often money out of their own pockets that they give these young people. I feel very lucky where I can be in a position to do something for them, give something back to them and just make their job that little bit easier.”
Michael Harris, Head Coach at Double Jab ABC, said: “In April, a young man who was part of our club was actually stabbed on his way to the gym and while we tried to save his life unfortunately we were unable to. Now obviously these doors wouldn’t have changed that situation, but it does highlight how important it was our security needed to be improved to protect the young people inside and us, the staff members, who could potentially be targeted if we were in the way.”
Guy Ferguson, CEO of Secured by Design said: “This has always been one of the projects where I’ve thought ‘That’s fantastic, that’s helping young people in really different circumstances feel safe and come and do something really positive which turns their lives around and takes them forward to be really good citizens and make a difference’.”
MORE UK SECURITY NEWS
The Met’s Inspector Chris Bright said: “This particular project is extremely important to me, because I know that hubs like this operated by Mike and his team offer a safe place for young people to be able to come and play, train, socialise and have a sense of belonging”.
Danny Gosling, the Detective Superintendent responsible for criminal investigations for the South East said: “This really is effectively the blueprint of what partnership working should be.”
PICTURE
Neil Johns, Managing Director of Premier Security and Fire Consultants
& Guy Ferguson, CEO of Secured by Design