Staffordshire Police

Numerous partnership schemes are underway across Staffordshire to tackle business crime. They include:

Partnerships Against Business Crime in Staffordshire (PABCIS): This co-ordinates the work of business crime reduction partnerships in Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford, Burton, Cannock, Lichfield and Tamworth. PABCIS enables these organisations to share best practice, provide a support network and communicate intelligence about offenders who move around the county. For more details log onto www.businesscrimeinitiative.co.uk  (Opens in new window)

A county-wide Business Watch scheme has over 200 members. It operates by sending tailored alert messages about criminal activity to relevant companies.

In North Staffordshire the Partnership Against Business Crime operates in Newcastle, and more details can be found at its relaunched website www.pabcnewcastle.org.uk  (Opens in new window)

Officers in Kidsgrove, together with local businesses and partner agencies, are involved in operating Business Watch and Pub Watch schemes. Similar initiatives in Leek and Biddulph are also running.

Pub Watch and Store Watch schemes are operated in Tamworth, Burton, Lichfield and Uttoxeter.

Cumulative Impact Zones also operate in Tamworth, Burton and Lichfield town centres. If crime and disorder is a concern police can apply for an area to become a Zone, which means no new licensed premises can open in the area, or existing ones cannot apply for extensions to their trading hours.

Several initiatives operate in Stafford including the Business Against Retail Crime Scheme (BARCS), Storewatch, Store Radio System, Stafford Town Centre Partnership and Pubwatch. A Business Watch scheme also runs on 12 business parks/industrial estates throughout Stafford Borough, with one also in place in Wombourne.

The initiatives are supported by the numerous Alcohol Restriction Zones in place across the county, which make it an offence to consume alcohol in public - thus helping to cut crime and anti-social behaviour.