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Crime Prevention - Use of Cut Out Police Officers
Question(s)2688 / 08 and 137 / 09
Please can you say, for each of the last three years, whether you have:
a) Used cardboard mock-ups of i) police officers ii) PCSOs
b) If so, what was the exact location of the cardboard officer and how long was it stationed there?
c) What was the exact purpose for using the cardboard cut-out? (please be as specific as possible) Were there any real officers/PCSOs patrolling that area?
d) How much has the force spent on cardboard mock-ups of i) police officers ii) PCSOs?
e) How many of the cut-outs have been (a) stolen or (b) criminally damaged? |
ResponseQuestion a) - Yes - only Police Officers
Question b) - This is difficult to answer in terms of specific geographic location and time displayed. We have had a substantial number of these "cut outs" but they have been located at different commercial outlets i.e. filling stations, supermarkets, shops etc and have been moved around so the number of locations per cut out is many and varied and not something we record. Suffice to say that their use has been on commercial premises of the nature outlined previously. Our use of them has been reported by the BBC - see http//news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/England/derbyshire/7100516.stm
The time periods have varied between 3 and 24 months and the type of premises mainly retail supermarkets of all sizes plus filling Stations, post offices etc.
Question c) - The primary purpose of the cut outs is to engender crime prevention in an effort to supplement our force-wide efforts in reducing actual crime. The theory is that it creates the impression at first glance of a capable guardian being on site, which hopefully also reduces the perception of fear of crime.
None of the cut outs were either intended, or did, provide any essence of replacement or reduction of patrolling Police Officers / PCSO's but indeed were a supplemental factor in our corporate efforts towards crime prevention to engender "Safer Neighbourhoods" across the force area.
Question d) - Over the period we are able to identify that our records show that a total of £6,650 on this crime prevention measure.
You may also find the following web addresses to relevant news articles - 1 from your own newspaper of use in your research
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3419327/Cardboard-cut-out-police-branded-gimmick.htm
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1084636/Cardboard-cops-gimmick-police-force-slammed-putting-life-size-officer-cut-outs-town.html
e) We are only aware of 3 thought to have been stolen. They were from filling stations - 1 in Derby, 1 in Matlock and 1 in Amber Valley. As you will appreciate these are "consumables" by nature and even though allocated to retail premises they do become damaged and eventually unfit for further use.
In keeping with the spirit and effect of the Freedom of Information Act, all information is assumed to be releasable to the public unless exempt. The department therefore, will be simultaneously releasing to the public the information you requested.
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