Don Randall MBE looks ahead to 2025

Chairman of the City of London Crime Prevention Association reflects on 2024 and provides his insights into the challenges ahead in 2025.

As we enter 2025 and reflect on 2024, we continue to live with international conflict and acts of terrorism, extremism and violent crime closer to home.

Acknowledging that we have a new government, it is good to see that some of the previous initiatives, such as Martyn’s Law and Violence against Women and Girls, feature prominently in the current government’s priorities and legislation.

The role of private sector security is ever increasing to support core law enforcement requirements.  Looking back on the various initiatives created by the City of London Crime Prevention Association, (CoLCPA) such as Project Griffin in 2003, CSSC in 2011 and Project Kestrel in 2020, there can never be a more important time for public/private sector partnership.

A notable example is the initiative launched in November 2023 to create a consortium in order to tackle violence against women and girls and domestic abuse: Prevent Violence against Women and Girls and Domestic Abuse – Our Safer City.   We are confident that this initiative will reduce sexual offences committed during the night-time economy, provide support and assistance to vulnerable people and identify the perpetrators.

Our consortium partners are too many to mention, but we are extremely grateful to the former Lady Mayoress, Elisabeth Mainelli, for becoming our Patron. Our thanks are also extended to our core partners: the City of London Corporation, City of London Police, British Transport Police, Metropolitan Police, Safer Business Network, the City BIDs, Eastern City BID, EIDA, Oxford Partnership and the City Security Council.  The consortium pilot will conclude in the first quarter of 2025 and it is our intention to transport the best practice initiatives across the UK and beyond.

We believe the Prevent Violence against Women and Girls and Domestic Abuse initiative has enabled law enforcement and local authorities to direct their respective operational resources in a more focused and effective way.  Our two surveys have strengthened the belief that women feel less safe after dark and the requests for enhanced street lighting, CCTV and policing presence are as anticipated.

However, there can be no doubt that the re-introduction of taxi marshalling, Safe Havens and the Safe Haven app, together with the combined private/public sector partnership initiatives, including Operation Re-Frame, have assisted in making the City a safer night-time economy location.

The recent legislative changes in respect of sexual harassment in the workplace are positive steps forward, but we still have a lot to do.

Two of our biggest challenges are to raise the awareness of women and men as to what is acceptable and not acceptable behaviour and to ensure vulnerable people are aware of the supportive initiatives that are available to them. We are creating an education/training programme for both businesses and employees in respect of the new legislation.  One of our key aims is to focus on bystander intervention, to encourage men to act supportively in appropriate circumstances.

I would like to thank all our consortium partners, the executive board and senior management team for their hard work and dedication in creating and developing this much-needed initiative.

At the City of London Crime Prevention Association, (CoLCPA)  AGM in May we welcomed our new CoLCPA Patron, Tijs Broeke, the Chairman of the Police Authority Board. Our outgoing Patron, James Thomson, was thanked for his term of office and was made an honorary member of the Association.

In October Pete O’Doherty was appointed the new Commissioner of City of London Police.  We congratulate Pete on his appointment and extend our best wishes to his predecessor, Angela McLaren.

I have no doubt that we have a challenging year ahead, but in partnership no challenge is too great. We will continue to support law enforcement and the community in the same manner as we have done for the past 21 years.

On your behalf, may I take this opportunity to thank the City of London Crime Prevention Association Committee, our speakers and our Administration Manager, Irona, for their continued contribution.

I wish you, your families and loved ones, a peaceful and safe 2025.

Don Randall, MBE

Chairman

City of London Crime Prevention Association, (CoLCPA)