Designing Out Crime Officer Trace Rokahr, of Humberside Police, has won this year’s Secured by Design Bob Knights Scholarship Award. It marks her ‘sterling work’ in forging relationships with council planners, and for encouraging developers to work on crime prevention and designing out crime.
Trace, pictured centre, was presented with her award by Stephen Watson QPM, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Crime Prevention, pictured right; and Helen Ball, Assistant Commissioner (Professionalism), Metropolitan Police, pictured left. The occasion was SBD’s ATLAS national training event for Designing Out Crime Officers (DOCOs).
The scholarship is to support a practitioner and give them the opportunity to continue their professional development by undertaking the Level 5 Diploma in Designing Out Crime. A bursary is given each year to a DOCO who is acknowledged as being an advocate of designing out crime.
Trace said: “I’m absolutely over the moon and completely surprised. It’s very rewarding to be recognised for what you do as a Designing Out Crime Officer. The award recognises what DOCOs do but that relies on having good relationships with architects, developers and local authority planners. Working together, we can achieve developments that are safe and secure and build safer communities.”
Asked about the Diploma in Designing Out Crime, Trace said: “It’s something I’ve been looking forward to doing. To have that opportunity is fantastic and it will help me put my mark on designing out crime.”
She is working with East Riding Planning Department to influence the Local Plan and ensure SBD is included within the policy document. She is working with a number of private sector developers towards their building schemes aiming for SBD’s Gold Award. This has led to at least five schemes progressing towards this standard.
Most recently, Trace has played a key role in progressing the development and delivery of ten, one-day crime prevention awareness raising events for neighbourhood police officers based at three police stations across Humberside. The day, run by the Police Crime Prevention Academy (PCPA) during February and March 2020, have been requested and paid for by Humberside Police.
What is crime prevention and designing out crime, and why? In terms of physical building security it’s doors, windows and locks and in the surrounding area it’s best use of natural surveillance, creating defensible space and limiting excessive through movement to make uncomfortable and difficult for criminals to operate.
SBD Development Officer Alfie Hosker said: “I am delighted for Trace. She fully deserves this award for her sterling work in driving the message of Secured by Design and designing out crime across the private and public sectors throughout the Humberside Police Force region. I know she is pushing policy across her planning authorities to firmly embed SBD within Local Development Frameworks and other associated plans. Well done Trace, the award is truly warranted.”
The scholarship is in memory of Robert ‘Bob’ Knights MBE, who died in 2018. He was a police officer and later a trainer and consultant, in the crime prevention role of designing out crime.
