“Crime against business remains a low priority for the Police, and it is often referred to as a victimless crime,” says Tim Colman, Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
While he speaks for a neighbouring county, crime is also a real problem for firms in Dorset. Ours is a county of small towns and businesses, where theft and criminal damage, both physical and psychological, can destroy livelihoods and damage communities.
On Thursday 15th November, everyone, including Dorset’s many business owners and employees, can vote for the first ever Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) in our county.
The PCC will not run Dorset Police, but, depending on who is elected, they could have a major impact on the way local communities are policed. Their job is to hold the Chief Constable accountable to the public.
Bizoh asked the four PCC candidates how they would address the issue of crime against businesses in Dorset.
Andy Canning, Liberal Democrat PCC candidate, who has a ‘professional business background’ said: “Dorset’s economy depends more than most on successful and enterprising local businesses.”
If elected he will “work with local businesses to develop a strategy that cuts crime and helps improve the training of the Police so that they can appreciate the impact of business crime”.
Rachel Rogers, Labour PCC candidate, said: “It will be important for the PCC to work with business organisations, with retailers, the evening/night-time economy, transport and other business sectors to reduce crime affecting business in our towns and shopping centres.”
If elected, she will help the police to build trust and confidence by improving their communication, and to keep a balance between local and national issues. One of these is fraud, which can impact local firms but is often organised by networks across the country and even internationally, and requires local police forces to work with national law-enforcement organisations.
Nick King, Conservative PCC candidate, is a member of the Federation of Small Businesses, and has set up and run small firms. He is concerned “to hear that crime, particularly low level incidents, appear to be given a low level priority by the police”.
If elected, his approach will be driven by his belief that “if criminality is not confronted at its lowest level then that can only lead to an environment in which more serious crime is seen as more acceptable”. He said: “The police need to work more proactively with business to tackle crime and to encourage a zero tolerance attitude to anti-social behaviour and minor crime.”
Martyn Underhill, independent PCC candidate, said he has spoken to “numerous business owners” and is “more than aware of the issue of small business crime, indeed several business owners have shared their frustrations of drug-fuelled shoplifters draining their resources and their profits, and their time”.
If elected, he would work with traders to get the Shopwatch scheme operating across Dorset and would “seek to work with the business community” to address shoplifting and burglary from commercial premises.
For more information about all four PCC candidates for Dorset, visit the following websites:
Choose my PCC (official PCC elections website)
Police elections
Rachel Rogers, Labour and on Twitter as @DorsetRachel
Nick King, Conservative and on Twitter as @NickKing
Martyn Underhill, independent and on Twitter as @Tosh599
Andy Canning, Liberal Democrat
