Mitie, the facilities management company, has announced a revolutionary crime reporting initiative powered by Facewatch, the secure online crime reporting software.
For the first time, customers will be able to report crime directly to police helping to solve and reduce business crime and tackle anti-social behaviour in the vicinity of their estate.
Through Mitec, Mitie’s Total Security Management business will be the first monitoring centre in the UK to incorporate the Facewatch system, which enables businesses, the public and police to tackle low-level crime, into all its CCTV monitoring contracts as standard.
By including this program in all security services, Mitie will create new efficiencies in crime reporting. The complex and time-consuming evidence collection process will be simplified, enabling clients to track the progress of reported crimes.
While the 2014 Crime Against Businesses findings from the Commercial Victimisation Survey show that overall crime levels have reduced, data reveals that in the specific retail and wholesale sector there are still over 13,000 crimes per 1,000 businesses each year.
Mitie will add value to the process by using the data captured at Mitec to identify trends and risks in particular areas. For clients with large estates, the Mitec analysts can provide heat mapping in support of risk mitigation planning.
Darren Gamage, Managing Director of Mitie’s Total Security Management technology services, commented:
“We’re delighted to be working with Facewatch in becoming the first convergence and technology centre to incorporate its system as part of all our CCTV monitoring contracts as standard. We’ve had a close working relationship with Facewatch for some time and see the system as a great way to support clients in identifying patterns of risk across their estate, as well as in supporting the Police in reporting and evidence collection of business crime.
“Our conversations with several police forces have highlighted the challenges faced in the reporting, management and evidence collection of business crime, and through our specially trained analysts in Mitec, we believe we can greatly assist in reducing the time taken and work required in capturing evidence around the incidents we detect.
“Last year we detected over 200 crimes where we could have directly provided video evidence and statements to support the Police and we see this as a great opportunity to work with the Police to change the way business crime is reported.”
Richard Thompson OBE LLB, CEO of Facewatch, said:
“Given the budgetary environment in which the Police finds itself today, many constabularies and chief officer teams are looking at ways of engaging differently with the communities they serve - both with the individual citizens who want to report crime and want the reassurance that comes from knowing that the Police are engaged; and with the multitude of businesses and retailers.
“We are very excited that Mitie are using our technology to benefit customers all over the country. This nationwide initiative, already successfully embraced by the West Midlands Police, offers businesses and their customers’ added security and the ability to combat low-level crime more effectively. Within minutes of a crime being committed, our platform allows businesses to report a crime with a completed MG11 (witness statement form) together with any relevant CCTV imagery in a digital format that is deemed evidential by the Crime Prosecution Service."
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Helen Greenwood, Investor & Public Relations Manager, Mitie Group PLC
T: +44(0)203 123 8731 E: helen.greenwood@mitie.com
