British Transport Police – Challenges and Solutions
Stephen Thomas QPM Assistant Chief Constable, Operations British Transport Police (BTP)
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British Transport Police
Challenges and Solutions
Stephen Thomas
Assistant Chief Constable
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Challenges and Solutions
1. Disruption
Fatalities
Cable Theft
(At 6th March 2014 all disruption 508,403 minutes down from
525,747 minutes)
2. Theft of Passenger Property
Fatalities - The Problem
• Increasing numbers of suicides and attempted
suicides
• Traditional Police approach – think Murder then
work down / Risk Averse / Coroner
• Complex and challenging incidents
• A rise in unexplained classifications
• High volume of disruption and delay
• Stranded passengers
• Public at risk – such as Passengers detraining
Fatality Scene
Fatalities
Action Taken and Lessons Learnt
• Process Map / Analyse / Review
• Academic Research
• Review Unexplained Fatality classifications
• Liaison with Chief Coroner for England & Wales
• New Fatality Management Guidance
• Purchased equipment to aid the partial re opening of the
railway including body coverings and cameras
• Training / awareness introduced for all BTP / Rail staff
• Introduction of Fatality Response Officers to support
scene activities and body recovery
Fatalities
Action Taken and Lessons Learnt
• Partnership Working – Samaritans, NHS, Industry
• CCTV – stations and trains
• Engineering Solutions – Reduce Vulnerability
• All fatalities are reviewed and lessons learnt and best practice is captured and disseminated
• The same innovative approach to reducing all police related disruption including trespass, people in precarious positions, vandalism, graffiti and level crossing misuse
• A strategy introduced to reduce primary and reactionary disruption minutes
Fatalities- Success
2011/12 2012/13 2013/14
(April – Feb)
Average Line
Hand Back
113min 83min 75mins
Unexplained
Classifications
101 30 10
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Cable Theft – The Problem
Cable Theft
• Metal theft increasing over past five years
• Driven by a growing global demand for metal
• Cash in hand disposal
• Deloitte: £220 – £260 Million
• ACPO: £770 Million
• HMRC: £1 Billion tax avoidance
• Network rail: £20 Million in last 3 years (£ 36 Million ??)
RESTICTED 10
Cable Theft – National Strategy
• Increase the effort required to steal metal – protective
security to reduce vulnerability
• Increase the risk to offenders – detection and targeted
enforcement
• Reduce the ease and reward to offenders of selling stolen
metal –stolen metal identification and reduced cash benefits
• Increase the risk to dealers of handling stolen goods –
greater responsibility to take all reasonable step
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Cable Theft
Action Taken and Lessons Learnt
• Government Support Legislation and Budget (DfT £5m,
HO £750k)
• Network Rail / Partnership Working / SMDA
• ACPO Metal Theft Working Group / Taskforce
• Fusion Intelligence Unit
• Regional Network / Bids Panel
• Days of Action - 25 (33 Police Forces)
• Op Tornado – SMD Voluntary Scheme
• Operation Baltic – Ports
• Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 (1st October – 1st December)
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Cable Theft - Success
Network Rail National Performance
Cable Theft Impact Summary - Last 3 Years
Incidents Delays Cost
2011/12 845 344,680 £12,000,679
2012/13 287 160,271 £5,823,646
2013/14 168 61,092 £2,255,703
Total 1,300 566,043 £20,080,028
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Theft of Passenger Property –
The Problem
Despite an overall downward trend in crime in recent years,
Theft of Passenger Property (TPP) was on the increase
This shows a 5.26% increase from 2010/11 and a 17.39%
increase from 2011/12.
7 March 2013 - Operation Magnum on London Underground
10 June 2013 – Operation Magnum nationally
2010/11 2011/12 2012/13
16,608 14,892 17,481
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Theft of Passenger Property –
The Problem
• Theft from the person
• Theft on train
• Mobile phones the most attractive item for thieves
• End of line reporting an issue
• Intelligence gaps around the criminal market
• Mixture of planned thefts and opportunistic thefts
• Mixture of individuals and groups
• Mixture of domestic and foreign offenders but a trend
for Eastern European offenders especially in London
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Theft of Passenger Property
Action Taken and Lessons Learnt
• Intelligence led directed patrols –uniform and covert
• Increase the risk to offenders – detection and targeted
enforcement
• Anticipate spikes of reported crime and plan accordingly
• Explore the market and reduce cash benefits to offenders
• Increase the risk to dealers of handling stolen goods
• Partnership / joint industry and police working
• Public information to reduce vulnerability
• Exploit Technology – tracking / identification / CCTV
• IMEI and/or Serial Number - investigations and
repatriation of property to owners
• Focus on Lost Property Offices
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Theft of Passenger Property –
Public Information Materials