Marking the 30th anniversary of Secured by Design (SBD), ATLAS 2019 saw a record number of exhibitors and Designing Out Crime Officers (DOCOs) attending.
With an opening address by the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick, pictured, the two-day event was for the first time at the Cotswold Water Park, Gloucestershire. She spoke about the fundamental importance of crime prevention and seeing Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (PCPI), and its best known initiative, SBD, going from ‘strength to strength’ with significant reductions in crime being achieved on SBD sites and developments.
Addressing around 180 DOCOs from around the UK, she said: “It is great for me to see the impact you are all having. There are tonnes of examples of crime that has been designed out, the problems that have been solved, the demand that has been reduced on all of our policing colleagues, by your work.”
She praised the 50 exhibitors and SBD member companies generally for not only making ‘fabulous’ security-related products to deter and prevent crime but also for making ATLAS become a reality. “Without our partners in industry, this training event wouldn’t happen.”
The Commissioner praised the PCPI team, led by Chief Executive Officer, Guy Ferguson, and Marketing Manager, Ailis O’Rourke-Batten, for organising the event. Ailis O’Rourke-Batten unveiled the first phase of a new ‘house of brands’ website under the overall banner of PCPI including a website for SBD which includes improved navigation and search facilities. Feedback forms from exhibitors and DOCOs had been overwhelmingly positive about the event, she said.
PCPI Chief Operating Officer, Jon Cole, received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his services from PCPI Board Member Julian Williams, Chief Constable of Gwent Police. ATLAS 2019 also featured SBD’s first national awards ceremony for SBD developments and for the SBD National Building Approval scheme.
Summing up afterwards, Mr Ferguson said: “I felt there was a very real and positive energy running throughout the event, which captured how we are growing, moving forward and becoming better at crime prevention and designing out crime to keep people safe and build stronger communities. This was a landmark event, and the result of intense activity over the last three years, building on our total of 30 years’ worth of solid foundations. It sought to pull together all our initiatives and provide us with a unified focus. It was certainly our biggest and best event so far.”
