PROCEDURE Community Safety Accreditation Scheme. Number: A 0602 Date Published: 6 June 2014

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1 1.0 Summary of Changes This document has been re-drafted and updated from General Policy and Guidelines enabling inclusion with the Policy and Procedures Document Library. 2.0 What this Procedure is about Community Safety Accreditation Schemes are created under section 41 of the Police Reform Act They enable a Chief Constable to accredit certain employers to carrying out of community safety functions. In Essex the following organisations will be considered for accreditation: Local authorities; Private companies that are stakeholders in the Essex area; Other public bodies or managing agents, acting on behalf of such local authorities or other public bodies, which, in the reasonable opinion of the Chief Constable, are able to meet the criteria for accreditation. Two elements are incorporated into the accreditation process: Accreditation of the employer; and Accreditation of the employee. Employers who want to benefit from the scheme must demonstrate that they employ fit and proper persons and have appropriate procedures and policies in place. Compliance with this procedure and any governing policy is mandatory. 3.0 Detail the Procedure The Community Safety Accreditation Scheme is overseen and co-ordinated by the Neighbourhood Policing Command. The Community Resources Co-ordinator will be responsible for the day to day running of the scheme and will report any issues/concerns to the Crime Prevention Inspector, who will act as the designated officer on behalf of the Chief Constable. 3.1 Standards For an employer to obtain accreditation under the Essex Police scheme, certain standards must be adhered to. In particular, an employer must demonstrate that it is a fit and proper organisation to supervise employees in carrying out the functions for which the accreditation is sought. It is therefore incumbent upon the employer to ensure that relevant protocols are in place and that they will be followed. All enquiries about setting up an accreditation scheme must be referred to the Community Resources Co-ordinator who will then contact the organisation concerned to discuss the scheme and go through the application form. Page 1 of 5

2 3.2 Vetting It is essential that individual applicants are thoroughly checked to ensure that they are of previous good character or possess no relevant criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings. The employee must declare any spent convictions or cautions together with any pending matters. Police checks will be carried out on those employees wishing to be accredited. This is a condition of the scheme and is required to ensure public confidence. In the case of a private company the owner and all directors will also be subject to the vetting process. Vetting will be to Non-Police Personnel Vetting (NPPV) level 2. Essex Police will conduct vetting checks on the employee and on the employee s spouse/partner and co-residents. Checks will be made to establish: Identity; Any information relating to the applicant s current residence or an address at which they have resided in the previous 5 years; Financial status; Whether there is a record on the Police National Computer System. Essex Police are not obliged to disclose any information revealed during the vetting process that results in the refusal of an application. Applicants are asked to inform their spouse/partner, all dependants over the age of 10 and all co-residents that their details have been provided for the purpose of obtaining vetting clearance for an accreditation scheme. 3.3 Training After the vetting process has been successfully completed the employee is required to undertake a 5 day training course to ensure that they have a full understanding of their role and what is expected of them. The training must be provided by an outside training provider recommended by the Home Office and Skills for Security. The Community Resources Co-ordinator will provide details of training providers to the employer who must book the training and pay the fee. Page 2 of 5

3 Topics covered in the training include: Roles and responsibilities (including code of conduct); Basic legal knowledge; Communication skills; Conflict Management Reports (when and how to record incidents); Health and Safety (including personal safety and risk assessment); Diversity, race relations and disability discrimination; Data Protection Act 1998 and information security. 3.4 Appearance Every employee in a scheme must wear identifiable clothing provided by their employer and ensure that the accreditation logo is sewn into the shoulder of their uniform. The accreditation identification badge must be displayed at all times. If an accredited person does not have identifiable clothing then the logo badge needs to be sewn onto a black armband and the accredited person can then wear that on their arm. 3.5 Information Sharing A joint operating and information sharing protocol will be signed between the employer and Essex Police (via the Crime Prevention Inspector) to clarify information sharing arrangements and provide a framework to facilitate and govern the sharing of information, intelligence and evidence. The dissemination of intelligence to an accredited scheme must be carefully managed and be in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act It will invariably be in the interests of all partners to work towards the same aims and this will only occur if free and open lines of communication are maintained. Inclusion in the local National Intelligence Model tasking and co-ordination process can be agreed, but advice must first be sought from the Force Information Security Department Page 3 of 5

4 The employer must ensure all accredited persons are aware of the protocols and the consequence of non-compliance. 3.6 Powers available to Accredited Persons under the Scheme See Appendix A for the powers available under the scheme. The following power MUST NOT be granted to an accredited scheme: Power 20) Power to photograph persons away from a Police Station. Applications to apply the powers are processed by the Community Resources Coordinator and agreed by the Crime Prevention Inspector (who is the nominated officer on behalf of the Chief Constable). Powers for individual organisations will be reviewed on an annual basis to see if they are still appropriate to the role of the accredited person. Each employee will be interviewed by the Community Resources Co-ordinator to ensure that they have a full understanding of their role, their training and what is expected of them. They may also ask questions relating to the scheme. Accreditation cards and certificates of achievement signed by the Chief Constable will be awarded to the organisation and each accredited person by the local District Commander or Inspector in the presence of the Community Resources Co-ordinator. 4.0 Equality Impact Assessment This procedure has been assessed with regard to an Equality Impact Assessment. As a result of this assessment it has been graded as having a low potential impact as the proposals in this procedure would have no potential or actual differential impact on grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, transgender, disability, age, religion or belief or sexual orientation. 5.0 Risk Assessment Each organisation that wishes to join the scheme will be required to produce a certificate showing that they are in possession of employer s liability insurance of not less than 5,000,000 and public liability insurance of not less than 5,000, Consultation Health & Safety / Diversity Federation / Unison LPA Commander / NP Inspector Practitioners Page 4 of 5

5 7.0 Monitoring and Review Schemes will be monitored and reviewed by the Community Resources Co-ordinator supported by the Crime Prevention Inspector. The policy and procedures of accredited schemes must be reviewed every 3 years and any proposed changes must be approved by Essex Police. Identification cards for each accredited person must be renewed every 2 years. If an employee leaves an organisation then the employer must notify the Community Resources Co-ordinator to amend the records and the identification card must be returned to Essex Police. Powers in relation to each scheme will be reviewed annually to ensure consistency and that they remain applicable to the accredited person s role. The Community Resources Co-ordinator will periodically patrol with accredited persons from various organisations to ensure that schemes are being adhered to. 8.0 Governing Force policy. Related Force policies or related procedures None at present 9.0 Other source documents, e.g. legislation, Authorised Professional Practice (APP), Force forms, partnership agreements (if applicable) Essex Police Website Getting Accredited Page 5 of 5