COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR CIVIC ORDER, POLICING AND SECURITY

The project "Community Engagement for Civic Order, Policing and Security" is, in part, the product of work conducted on a previous EU-funded project on partnership and crime prevention. The basis is the increase in initiatives directly involving citizens in policing and urban security. For instance, many states have schemes whereby volunteers patrol districts with a specific remit for reassurance and crime prevention. For some this is grounded in tradition or culture, for others maybe less so. The movement of peoples throughout Europe (and Beyond) means it is imperative to ensure that new communities are fully engaged in such activities.

It is clear that in this rapidly developing arena local initiatives are being developed which are highly transferable. As with all posited 'good practice', there is a need for formal evaluation to establish if and why an initiative succeeded and in what circumstances it might be transferable.

The project partners: law enforcement officers, academics and local administrators - will build on established relationships, while also drawing in new partners to enhance coverage. Partners are chosen also for their relevance to the circumstances faced by the principal applicant. London, with its diversity, needs to learn quickly and effectively what will best meet the needs of its citizens. Equally, this diversity creates the environment in which innovative practice thrives; this needs identification, evaluation and sharing.

Activities will include two main conference events (midway and end point. Initially, beginning, partners will attend an event in London to set out main work streams and confirm shared objectives. A total of eight seminars will be held to showcase and review initiatives. Final product will include: a database of initiatives described and evaluated according to set criteria; a report detailing the underlying issues emerging from the project and conference events (250 - 300 delegates) to share findings.