Continued efforts by Lincoln Business Improvement Group to reduce crime across the city centre have been recognised for a second successive year, with the organisation once again winning a prestigious Partnership Innovation Award.
Lincoln BIG was presented with the highly coveted award at this year’s Action Against Business Crime annual conference.
Action Against Business Crime is the industry body that supports and promotes crime prevention partnerships between businesses and local law enforcement agencies across the UK.
Lincoln BIG received the award for developing www. Lincolnbigsecurity.co.uk – a city centre security website that allows businesses, CCTV operatives and Lincolnshire Police to communicate via an interactive forum.
The website is used as a tool to quickly disseminate information throughout the business and security communities, helping to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour on the city’s streets.
As well as the website businesses registered with the Lincoln BIG Security Group can access over 200 radios across the city centre and Lincoln’s CCTV network, a facility which amongst other things has reduced the average time needed to reunite a lost child with their parents to well under five minutes.
The ceremony took place at East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham last month. Lincoln BIG fought off 32 entrants and six finalists to win the prestigious Partnership Innovation award, which recognises new and effective ways of addressing crime and anti-social behaviour in UK city and town centres.
This is the second year in a row that the group has won this particular award. Last year’s winning initiative was the design and development of translation cards, which are used by businesses to prevent confusion and better serve the city’s migrant population.
Mike Schuck, Chief Executive of Action Against Business Crime comments: “Innovation is an essential element of any crime reduction partnership. In Lincoln BIG’s case this has demonstrated itself in two very different yet equally effective initiatives that have helped the partnership to address the needs of the local community.
“Lincoln BIG has shown itself to be able to adapt quickly and effectively to the needs of its members and because of this the panel saw fit to award them with this honour for the second year in a row.”
Bob Dever, Security Manager at Lincoln BIG said: “It’s great to receive an award that recognises the important role that city centre businesses play in ensuring that Lincoln is a pleasant and safe place to be, both for residents and visitors alike. For Lincoln, as a city that is undergoing rapid growth, it is integral that our infrastructure remains ahead of the game and with the new website we hope to ensure people in and around the city centre can enjoy all the fantastic opportunities Lincoln has to offer in the safest possible environment.”
For information about how to join the Lincoln BIG Security Group please visit www.lincolnbigsecurity.co.uk or contact Lincoln BIG by phoning 01522 545 233
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Issued on behalf of Lincoln BIG by Lava. For further information or an interview please contact Matt, Stuart or Wendy at Lava on 01522 842 800 / 07870 567 968 or matt@lavapr.co.uk / stuart@lavapr.co.uk.
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