Information about the role of a designing out crime officer, including the role purpose, key responsibilities and the skills required.
About the role
A designing out crime officer is a crime reduction position within the community policing sector. It's a service deliverer role in the policing professional profiles.
Role purpose
To provide specialist advice and guidance regarding the built environment at every stage of architectural design, from pre-planning to the full development control process. To help minimise crime, fear of crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour.
Key responsibilities
Key responsibility statements show the accountabilities for someone in this role. They focus on what is done, not how it is done.
- Liaising with architects, designers, planners and developers to promote an awareness of the designing out crime service and National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) approved prevention initiatives (such as Secured by Design and the Safer Parking scheme). Building awareness of the principles of prevention through environmental design and encouraging adoption of recommended standards and specifications.
- Providing specialist advice on the security, design and refurbishment of developments to influence their design standards and specifications, to minimise crime, disorder, anti-social behaviour and perception of crime.
- Engaging and influencing local authority planning departments to prioritise the principles of reducing crime and fear of crime as key development principles. Supporting the creation of safe, secure and sustainable communities that have increased trust and confidence in policing.
- Promoting the incorporation of relevant policies in local plans and other key documents relating to the built environment. This includes supplementary planning guidance, community infrastructure levy guidance, housing strategy, designing out crime and crime prevention through environmental design principles.
- Engaging and liaising with the police counter terrorism security adviser, in accordance with the current memorandum of understanding, to mitigate the risk of terrorism through prevention and increase trust and confidence in policing.
- Assisting in the delivery of government-led initiatives, including assisting the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner where required, to support prevention and safer communities.
- Influencing how local authorities use their applicable legislation and available local, regional and national funding sources to minimise crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour.
- Reviewing and feeding back on planning applications. Identifying areas of risk where criminality and misuse of space could occur or escalate to minimise crime, disorder, anti-social behaviour and perception of crime.
- Participating in problem-solving forums and representing policing consultations on new situational prevention initiatives, planning policies, legislation and planning applications. Ensuring that local policing needs are represented appropriately, that good practice is shared and issues relating to designing out crime are considered.
- Maintaining comprehensive, accurate records of activities and outcomes and producing reports, as required, to support management decision-making and analysis of lessons learned.
- Advocating the use of evidence-based approaches and schemes to support prevention and to increase trust and confidence in policing.
Competencies, values and core skills
The competency and values framework (CVF) provides clear expectations for everyone working in policing. It describes the behaviours required by police officers and staff to be effective in their roles and uphold the Code of Ethics for policing.
Competencies
The CVF has six competencies, which are split into levels. These levels can be used flexibly to allow for a better fit with frontline and non-frontline policing roles, and at different levels of seniority. This ensures that there is consistency throughout all the policing professional profiles. Some roles may contain different CVF levels due to the specialist nature of the role. Those working at higher levels should also fulfil the requirements of the lower levels.
This role should be operating at or working towards the following competencies.
- We are emotionally aware – Level 1: practitioner
- We take ownership – Level 1: practitioner
- We collaborate – Level 1: practitioner
- We support and inspire – Level 1: practitioner
- We analyse critically – Level 1: practitioner
- We are innovative and open-minded – Level 1: practitioner
Values
The CVF has three values. These values apply to everyone in policing, regardless of their role or seniority.
Core skills
All roles in policing have nine core skills in common. Skills are split into levels that represent the different levels of policing.
This role should be operating at or working towards the following core skills.
- Communicating and influencing – Level 1
- Problem solving – Level 1
- Performance management – Level 1
- Relationship management – Level 1
- Change management – Level 1
- Managing people – Level 1
- Managing resources – Level 1
- Planning – Level 1
- Use of IT – Level 1
Education, qualifications and experience
To achieve effective performance in the role, the following training and learning should be met.
Previous education, qualifications and experience
- Successfully complete the NPCC-approved level five diploma in crime prevention - designing out crime training within twelve months of starting the role.
- Knowledge of the force's high-crime risk areas and the nature of those environments.
- Knowledge and understanding of planning processes (local planning and development control) and the key drivers for different stakeholders in these.
- Knowledge and understanding of good practices in design in relation to preventing crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour.
In-role education, qualifications and experience
- None specified
Continuing professional development
Continuing professional development (CPD) enables everyone in policing to develop and gain recognition for their professional skills, knowledge and competence.
CPD ensures that we continue to provide high-quality policing to keep the public safe and help to drive career aspirations. Discussion of CPD is usually included as part of professional development review (PDR) conversations.
Learning and accreditation
- Complete NPCC-mandated professional development in accordance with the nationally approved scheme (NPCC designing out crime officer CPD programme).
- Any exemptions to learning and accreditation requirements are at chief constable discretion, in line with the local force policy.
- Complete all core training and learning as required by the force.
Professional development
This role should consider the following CPD:
- keeping up to date with all new standards and developments relating to crime prevention through environmental design, security products, problem-solving and relevant regulations
Related roles
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