Forensic security product company, SmartWater Technology, reports several crime reduction initiatives run with regional police forces.
The Shropshire-based company has long operated a not-for-profit arm of the company, set aside to benefit socially deprived areas and aid police, via subsidised community schemes. Such schemes enable quantities of SmartWater kits to be distributed by police, at no cost to the recipient, for crime prevention.
Launched in October 2004 and funded by the Government’s New Deal for Communities (NDC) scheme, SmartWater kits were issued to residents in the Wood End, Henley Green, Manor Farm, and Deedmore areas of Coventry following a string of burglaries. A 76 per cent reduction in burglary followed. Seven incidents were reported in December 2004, compared to 26 offences during the same month in 2003 – all seven reports coming from houses without SmartWater. NDC also made another £10,000 available to cover police overtime, ensuring officer visibility during December – traditionally a time when burglary is on the rise, due to Christmas. Because of the ongoing success of the campaign, 750 ultra-violet key fob torches were issued to police officers in February 2005 to assist with the detection of SmartWater, permitting on-the-spot checks of suspects.
In Hartlepool, SmartWater was first deployed in the Burbank area in October 2004, and after a very strong take-up, an additional 4,000 property coding kits were purchased by the NDC in February 2005. The kits were then distributed in the Dent Street, Derwent Street and Oxford Road areas of thw town. NDC community wardens and 16 police community support officers then went door to door, spending around 20 minutes in each household, assisting with the property coding – proving to be a positive PR exercise. The initiative also saw the deployment of Index spray systems to businesses.
After a Calderdale school property coding scheme introduced in July 2004, more funds were secured to introduce SmartWater to residential areas in October 2004. Officers from Todmorden’s Burglary Reduction Unit initially distributed leaflet information to encourage take-up, and installed warning signs on lampposts, warning thieves of the presence of SmartWater. A total of 4,000 SmartWater kits were issued to residents in the area, and uniformed police officers visited residents to assist with property coding. That gave officers the chance to spend time with the community and offer additional crime prevention advice. The first four months of the scheme, from October 2004 to the end of January 2005 saw a total of 24 reported burglaries in Todmorden, compared to 152 during the same period the previous year – an 84pc reduction.
What they say
SmartWater Chief Executive, Phil Cleary, said: "The successes enjoyed by SmartWater can be attributed to its use of cutting edge forensic technology, as well as its ability to reassure communities and increase anxiety for the criminal. Our recent crime reduction statistics are a testament to the abilities of SmartWater as a crime deterrent. Some 95 of UK police forces are currently using SmartWater, and as we continue to spread the word about SmartWater, we will continue to strike fear into criminals and bring down crime rates." Professional Security in April reported the ultimate UK security product placement – the product was part of a recent story-line in the ITV police drama The Bill.
