ALTAS Lifetime Achievement Award Recognises Lincolnshire DOCO

John is an experienced and highly respected DOCO whose career has seen him develop extensive knowledge across a wide range of crime prevention disciplines. His commitment to sharing that expertise with colleagues, both within Lincolnshire Police and beyond, has made a lasting contribution to the wider Designing Out Crime community.

One area of John’s work that has made a particularly significant impact is suicide prevention. He has developed specialist knowledge in this field and has become a strong advocate for incorporating suicide prevention measures into the design and management of places where there may be an increased risk of suicide.

John has shared his expertise through CPD webinars for fellow DOCOs and has acted as a specialist adviser on working groups supporting the development of national guidance, including work relating to Safer Parking. His knowledge and willingness to assist have also extended beyond his own force area.

John has provided specialist support to Humberside Police on complex suicide prevention issues relating to a prominent bridge on a key road network. Despite being based in another force area, he attended site visits, provided advice on location and followed this up through detailed reports, meetings and further guidance.

He has also regularly offered advice through the Problem Solvers Network, responding to queries on suicide prevention and sharing his experience to help colleagues address challenging situations.

Within Lincolnshire Police, John has similarly made a significant contribution, advising on suicide prevention measures at car parks and other vulnerable locations at height. His approach demonstrates the value of Designing Out Crime expertise in addressing complex issues where thoughtful environmental and security interventions can contribute to reducing risk and protecting vulnerable people.

Alongside his professional work, John has a keen interest in Police war memorials. This reflects the respect, sincerity and integrity highlighted in his nomination, qualities which have been evident throughout his career and his work as a DOCO.

DOCO John Manuel said: “It was a massive surprise and honour to receive this award. I am an absolute believer in the value of the evolving role of the DOCO and the contributions that they provide to the reduction of crime and disorder, and equally in making the built environment safe and secure.”

John’s Lifetime Achievement Award recognises not only the work he has delivered over many years, but also the knowledge he has shared, the colleagues he has supported and the contribution he has made to developing good practice in suicide prevention.

His willingness to assist others, regardless of force boundaries, and his commitment to improving safety through Designing Out Crime have made a lasting difference to communities and to the wider DOCO profession.

DOCO John Manuel was presented the award at the annual Secured by Design ATLAS conference by Police CPI CEO Guy Ferguson and Chief Constable Lauren Poultney of South Yorkshire Police.

What is Secured by Design?

Secured by Design (SBD) is the official police security initiative that works to improve the security of buildings and their immediate surroundings to provide safe places to live, work, shop and visit.
SBD’s product based accreditation scheme - the Police Preferred Specification - provides a recognised standard for all security products that can deter and reduce crime.

There are currently many hundreds of companies producing thousands of attack resistant crime prevention products, across 30 different crime categories, which have achieved Police Preferred Specification.
Improved security

Developers around the UK can achieve SBD awards for incorporating crime prevention measures and techniques into their developments in all kinds of building sectors, such as residential, education, health, transport, commercial, retail, sport and leisure. SBD can be used as evidence to discharge third-party obligations under Part Q of Schedule 1 (Security) to the English Building Regulations, the Scottish Building Standard 4.13 (Security) and Welsh Building Regulations Part Q (Security – Dwellings). These awards are gained by working with police Designing Out Crime Officers (DOCOs), who advise architects, developers and local authority planners long before construction begins – and continue to provide advice and guidance until the development is complete.

Academic and other research shows that improving standards of security in brand new and refurbished properties, helps deter and reduce crime. Reducing crime and the fear of crime has direct links to better physical and mental well-being, such as with regard to high volume crimes like domestic abuse.

The built environment influences the behaviour of people who work, live, socialise or simply pass through. SBD seeks to create environments where the law-abiding feel safe and secure whilst at the same time causing the criminal or anti-social to feel vulnerable to detection and thereby influence behaviour in a positive way. This continues to be a key objective for SBD.

Find out more about SBD Developers Awards here.

SBD Design Guides

SBD has produced a series of Design Guides to assist the building, design and construction industry to incorporate security into developments to comply with the Building Regulations in England, Scotland and Wales and meet the requirements of SBD.

These Design Guides, available to download for free at the SBD website, have been updated over the years to keep pace with changing patterns of criminal behaviour and advances in building design and new technology.

They are a valuable source of reference to architects, developers, self-builders, local authority planners and police officers and cover a range of building sectors, including residential, education, health, transport and commercial.

Police Designing Out Crime Officers (DOCOs)

DOCOs provide specialist crime reduction advice to the public, businesses and colleagues about premises or property security. They also work with building developers, architects, and council planning departments regarding new developments and refurbishments, to 'design out' crimes like burglary and anti-social behaviour (ASB) by providing advice on street lighting, building and street layout, entrances and exits - as well as preferred standards and specifications for doors, windows, and locks, under the Secured by Design initiative.

DOCOs are able to deliver site specific interventions required to help design out crime in areas that suffer disproportionately from acquisitive crime, based on local crime pattern analysis, police, local authority and community engagement and the collective knowledge and experience of how criminals behave.

DOCOs are specialist problem solvers, working every day to make a positive difference, changing lives for the better and helping people to be safe and secure in their homes.

Contact details for local DOCOs can be found here.