News article from Sussex Police:
Wealden Neighbourhood Policing Team and the newly formed Rural Crime Team, have been working with Sussex Police’s Strategic Business Crime Lead to roll out a new crime prevention app called DISC. The link below provides further information as to the apps functionality.
As a result of our routine collaboration with Wealden District Council, we have been furnished with the details of approximately 350 businesses, typically operating in small retail parks or converted farm premises. As stated, the police, District, Town and Parish councils all feel that you might benefit from becoming part of a local community through affiliation to a bespoke ‘business group’.
The DISC app is a free and secure way to do this, and we know it works. In recent months we have seen hundreds of farming businesses sign up to the system to share information about suspicious vehicles, local crime trends and even report crime.
Why might this be relevant to you?
2020 has undoubtedly been a challenging year for us all, and 2021 has started in similar vein! We are all be operating under the backdrop of a national lockdown and BREXIT as we enter the New Year.
We can all recognise the challenge of having to adapt to new threats as our normal operating environment has frequently changed in response to fluctuating COVID restrictions. An example of this being the first ‘lockdown’ when many businesses were closed. This rendered (largely vacant) industrial estates and high streets vulnerable to an increased threat of burglary and acquisitive crime. As such police mounted daily patrols of such areas to mitigate against this risk and to provide some reassurance to those staff working in premises that remained open.
What we have learned in 2020 is that facing these challenges is so much easier when done collaboratively and in partnership. Experience also suggests that community safety works best when communities are empowered to own as much of the information sharing and decision making as possible.
What do you need to do now?
At this stage we are seeking to gain the level of interest for two things. There is no cost implication to either.
Please indicate whether you wish to be involved in either, neither or both of the following:
YES
NO
Community Safety Action Group
I wish to be involved in an affiliation of rural businesses in my area in order to receive updates from the local Community Safety Action Group.
DISC
I wish to have further contact regarding use of the DISC app and to be part of a local and Wealden wide ‘group’ of rural businesses who can securely receive and share updates about crime and information which may help protect my business.
Your Contact Details:
Email:
Telephone:
Please email your response to:
wealden@sussex.pnn.police.uk
