Guy Ferguson, CEO of Police CPI writes:
For the next couple of years there isn’t going to be an awful lot of money, or extra money going into public services and policing, therefore the government and police focus on prevention is critical.
Police CPI continue to respond to these challenges, operating at a strategic level by being advisors to government, advisors to policing and advisors to business, creating and piloting solutions across the board.
Not-for-profit Police CPI is nimble and agile, able to swiftly respond to emerging demands and crime trends – at no cost to the public. We can deliver things quickly because of our size and our agility and not being mired in the public service red tape as well as having a short, flat hierarchy within our organisation. This all means we can deliver quickly.
Our Secured by Design initiative provides a safe bridge between policing and industry and provides a framework whereby the police can recognise products and services for their crime prevention elements.
We are constantly address our 700 plus member companies, with their 7,000 plus products, and continually watch developments in crime to see how those standards can be tweaked and repurposed to make sure that those elements are met.
We have recently developed the SBD Secure Connected Device scheme in consultation with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The aim of this accreditation is to both help companies demonstrate that their products have achieved the appropriate and relevant IoT standards and certification, as well as assist consumers to make better informed choices when buying connectable devices.
Police CPI have also been providing a range of support to the Home Office in respect of the delivery of the Safer Streets Fund, a government initiative designed to reduce crime across England and Wales by providing Police and Crime Commissioners with funding to implement crime prevention measures to make streets safer and tackle violence against women and girls and make streets safer.
As I mentioned earlier, given the economic and climate change emergency that is putting a strain on the nation’s finances, I believe that the only way to keep pace with what is happening is a real investment in crime prevention. This provides an exciting opportunity for a real cultural change and going into 2023 we should all have a preventative mindset and be innovative in our problem-solving approaches.
ABOUT GUY FERGUSON
Born in the north-east of England and having lived in the USA and Kenya, Guy Ferguson joined the Metropolitan Police in 1982 and rose through the ranks to become a Detective Chief Superintendent.
Guy led investigations into 50 murders and suspicious deaths in London and was the senior investigating officer leading the body recovery operation following the 1999 Paddington rail crash, which resulted in the deaths of 31 people.
As Borough Commander in Sutton, Guy helped the borough to become one of the safest in London, with a 35% reduction over five years.
Married with three children, Guy’s family includes two black Labrador brothers (both failed police dogs). Guy is Vice-Chair of the Met Police Rugby Club, a keen cyclist and an avid reader, with a collection of thousands of military history books.
Guy was appointed CEO of Police CPI in 2016.