Police CPI supports National Problem Solving Conference 2025

The conference features presentations from experts in problem-solving and hosts the prestigious Tilley Awards, which Police CPI is sponsoring. The awards recognise and celebrate successful, problem-oriented policing projects that have had a positive impact on the community, police, or their partners. By recognising this good work, the Tilley Awards elevate the profile of the problem-solving discipline in the UK and facilitate the sharing of best practices internationally through its connection to the Goldstein Awards.

Police CPI's Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Michael Brooke, will be giving a keynote speech at the conference and will also host the Tilley Awards.

A critical factor in policing

Michael Brooke commented on the importance of the conference, stating, "The Problem Solving Conference is an excellent opportunity for specialists to come together and share ideas and best practices. As policing evolves, problem solving is a critical factor in ensuring that police forces and their partners operate at the highest level and reduce crime and anti-social behaviour as much as possible”.

South Yorkshire Police oversees the national Problem Solving and Crime Prevention Programme, led by Chief Constable Lauren Poultney. The programme's goal is to transform policing by making a structured, problem-solving approach a core discipline, which helps to reduce demand and improve efficiency.

Police Crime Prevention Initiatives

Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (Police CPI) is a police-owned, not for profit organisation self-funded through its prevention activities. Working diligently on behalf of the Police Service for 36 years, it creates, designs and accredits crime reduction strategies in partnership with Government bodies, the Police, Local Authorities and industry across the UK at no cost to the Police Service or the public purse. 

Established in 1989, Police CPI has developed into a major catalyst for organisations to work together to reduce and prevent crime.  Co-located with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), Chief Constable Gavin Stephens QPM, Chair of the NPCC, is the Chair of the Board of Directors.  Fellow Chief Officers from around the UK are also part of the Board and provide strategic direction.

Police Crime Prevention Academy

The Academy serves as the established learning and development provider for crime prevention to the UK Police, assuming delivery of all related courses from the College of Policing in 2017. It is an approved centre for the awarding body ProQual, offering formally accredited qualifications in crime prevention, problem-solving, and designing out crime.

The Academy can fulfill all training requirements. It also offers bespoke training events and webinars tailored to meet the specific needs of individual forces or organisations, and can support training in respect of key government initiatives such as Violence Against Women and Girls. 

The Academy’s learning and development opportunities are designed to enhance the skills of all officers, staff, and others engaged in policing, security, and community support. The Academy delivers this training to policing as close to cost as possible, and also provides a number of online courses - Vehicle Crime Course; Burglary Prevention Course; Property Marking Course and Retail Crime Course - free of charge.

Secured by Design (SBD) 

Secured by Design (SBD), the Official Police Security Initiative, partners with the government to incorporate crime prevention into the building and construction industry's planning process. SBD also runs an accreditation program for security products and services that meet police standards. 

This includes a "Secure Connected Device" accreditation for Internet of Things (IoT) products. The goal is to ensure these connected devices and their apps have the right level of security to protect consumers from cyber breaches. Products or services that earn this accreditation, and are proven to deter or prevent crime, are given the "Police Preferred Specification" title.

Security and Vulnerability Initiative (SAVI) 

The Security and Vulnerability Initiative offers an essential online tool for licensed premises in England and Wales, providing the advice and guidance needed to comply with Responsible Authorities. It covers critical areas such as vulnerability, female safety, physical security, and Counter Terrorism, while also offering policy templates to improve venue management. 

Working with the National Police Chiefs' Council, SAVI has been at the forefront of tackling spiking. It has developed effective good practice guides and, in collaboration with the National Crime Agency, created powerful, offender-focused materials. These resources, designed to move away from victim-blaming, are available in both English and Welsh on the SAVI website. 

The recent focus on the night-time economy highlights the government's commitment to reducing vulnerability and crime in licensed venues, an area where SAVI provides crucial support.

Fraud

Working in partnership with the Mayor’s Office for Policing & Crime (MOPAC), Police CPI undertook a London-wide fraud prevention project.

The prevention programme aimed to increase understanding about the various types of fraud, and in doing so improve awareness and make people less vulnerable to becoming victims of these scams. This unique project brought together the skills and experience of a retired Detective Chief Superintendent from the Metropolitan Police, working with a reformed fraudster, providing a unique insight into the tradecraft and methodology of fraudsters. A range of resources highlighting exactly how fraudsters operate were published and are available on the Police CPI website, alongside practical crime prevention advice to reduce the chances of both people and businesses becoming a victim of fraud.

The fraud prevention blogs and guides from this project can be accessed at here.

Further information on Police CPI & all of its initiatives can be found here.