ATLAS Lifetime Achievement Award Recognises Met DOCO

Rob is a highly experienced and knowledgeable DOCO who has contributed to some of London’s most significant developments, including Battersea Power Station, while also playing a role in the plans for the redevelopment of Wimbledon Tennis Stadium.

Throughout his career, Rob has demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring Secured by Design is applied in a meaningful and credible way. He is known for his patience, professionalism and willingness to support colleagues, regularly sharing his knowledge and going beyond the requirements of his role to help others.

A key strength of Rob’s work is his ability to navigate complex projects and build productive relationships with developers, architects and local authorities. His negotiation skills have enabled him to tackle challenging situations with determination, finding practical solutions where there may initially have been resistance from developers or planners.

Rob has also demonstrated a strong understanding of the wider role Designing Out Crime can play in creating safer communities. His advice considers a range of crime and vulnerability issues, including violence against women and girls, ensuring that these considerations are incorporated into discussions around crime prevention and the design of the built environment.

His work with Wandsworth Council has been particularly significant. Rob has invested considerable time in developing his understanding of the borough and building relationships with the council, helping to secure improvements to the design of green spaces and ensuring that security and safety considerations are given greater prominence within the planning process.

As one of the most experienced DOCOs within the Metropolitan Police’s South West team, Rob has become an important source of knowledge and support for his colleagues. His professionalism is matched by a personable and approachable manner, enabling him to work effectively with a wide range of partners.

DOCO Rob Harrison said: “I have been fortunate to have worked with and learned from some fantastic colleagues during my time as a DOCO. The fact that a small dedicated DOCO unit has consistently reduced criminality in the built environment and made such a positive difference in the quality of life for London residents makes me immensely proud, and I am truly humbled to receive this award, thank you.“

Rob’s Lifetime Achievement Award recognises the breadth of his contribution to Designing Out Crime, from advising on major regeneration projects to influencing local developments and supporting fellow DOCOs.

His career demonstrates the value of combining technical knowledge with patience, negotiation and a genuine commitment to protecting the public, while ensuring that security measures are thoughtfully incorporated into the places where people live, work and spend their time.

DOCO Rob Harrison 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.