We Are Weymouth BID pilots a scheme to help businesses tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in Weymouth
We Are Weymouth, Weymouth’s Business Improvement District will be delivering a dedicated ranger service to BID levy-payers to provide support to businesses in tackling crime and anti-social behaviour in Weymouth.
The uniformed presence will add over 1,700 patrol hours to Weymouth during the pilot period and will attend to issues such as shoplifting and anti-social behaviour with a view to resolving them, alongside conducting regular audits of the town centre to report on issues such as graffiti, littering and damage to street furniture, as well as gathering intelligence and providing a reassuring presence to those who use the town.
The service will regularly engage with BID levy-payers, listening and acting on the concerns and issues facing businesses and will be contactable via Town-Link radio, phone, and email. A dedicated out of hours contact number will also be provided for businesses to report concerns twenty-four hours a day.
The rangers are SIA accredited and receive comprehensive training prior to their deployment, which includes the powers and limitations of the law, conflict resolution, use of force, evidence gathering and collaborative working.
Dawn Rondeau, Chief Operations Officer at We Are Weymouth comments:
“In our business crime and safety survey, forty-five percent of respondents said that an increased presence was one of their top priorities to help tackle crime impacting businesses in Weymouth. Therefore, we are pleased to be able to offer this pilot scheme to support our levy-payers.
We already have a good working relationship with partners such as Dorset Police and Dorset Council and look forward to being able to work even more closely with them to make Weymouth a safer place to do business, live, work and visit.
The ranger service will focus primarily on the town centre, and in particular, the retail sector, which makes up nearly fifty percent of levy-paying businesses in Weymouth, however, all sectors will be able to contact the service to raise concerns for the team to act on, with the team being accessible to all levy payers via phone, email and town-link radio, as well as regularly dropping into businesses.”
Mikey Johnson, Area Loss Prevention Manager for The Range comments:
“I am very pleased that Town Rangers have been introduced here in Weymouth. This is the partnership that will help us keep the town safe, secure and welcoming for everyone. Having seen the great work that they have provided other BID areas that The Range are a part of, I can say first hand we have seen positive action being taken on crime and anti-social behaviour as a result of their presence and support.”
Mark Ferns, Managing Director of SWL Security Services comments:
“The SWL Street Team really look forward to integrating with the BID to meet the challenges in Weymouth. We will provide a highly visible reassurance to the We Are Weymouth BID Levy Payers and deliver an effective approachable service. We will share our experience we have gained working with Business Improvement Districts over the last six years at a diverse range of locations. Our primary aim will be to manage and support those who suffer nuisance, targeting shoplifting and anti-social behaviour, enhancing intelligence sharing and working closely with local Police. We are keen to get started with the We Are Weymouth BID management team and aim to deliver a really positive change in the area.”
The pilot service will work closely with partner agencies such as Dorset Police and Dorset Council’s Community Safety Patrol Officers, and with the BID-led Business Crime Reduction Partnership, providing a collaborative approach to tackling issues in Weymouth, and is set to run from 20 June 2022 until 3 January 2023.
The new BID on-street ranger service has been designed to work in partnership with other agencies. In every instance, businesses should contact 999 if a criminal incident is taking place.
Picture: GO! Southampton Ranger Service delivered by SWL Security Services
