Falmouth Town team launches new safe and secure initiative

Falmouth Town Team, an award-winning collaboration between Falmouth Business Improvement District (BID) and Falmouth Town Council, have launched Safe & Secure, an innovative business engagement project seeking to support Falmouth in counteracting low-level crime and anti social behaviour. 

Many UK high streets have experienced an increase in low-level crime and anti-social behaviour through and post Covid. 83% of Falmouth businesses highlighted anti-social behaviour as a crucial area for BID investment in consultations that led to its recently secured fourth, five-year term. 

New Street Rangers will be a visual presence throughout the town, along with the rollout of a crime reporting system called Disc. This will complement an enhanced CCTV service – a vital function proactively secured by the Town Team when the previous scheme managed by Cornwall Council and Tolvaddon Fire Control, faced cuts. The Falmouth team stepped in and identified a series of measures that would enable an ongoing vital provision for the town through an expanded CCTV network, in addition to a monitored control room. 

Other towns across Cornwall are now looking to Falmouth as an exemplar of best practice within this area. Furthermore, Falmouth BID investment has enabled the provision of a town link radio system for businesses. This BID subsidised scheme currently provides an immediate communication channel for the 20 plus signed up businesses and the plan through the Safe & Secure project, is to grow and enhance this network across Falmouth’s day and nighttime economies. 

The new Falmouth Street Rangers are security trained and accredited and will provide a crucial support link to the business community. They will operate across the town every week, visiting businesses and sharing best practice in respect of safety and security, liaising with the Police and working alongside other safety partners. They will also be connected to the town link radios and support businesses in encouraging sign-up and adoption of the free Disc crime reporting system. The Disc service will be free for all Falmouth businesses to sign-up to and will also be funded by the BID. Disc provides an effective and secure online monitoring system for local businesses to report offences to the Police. With the ability to submit incident reports, monitor offenders and stay up to date with the latest news and trends, the platform aims to be an effective response mechanism for all that engage with it. 

Executive Director of Falmouth BID, Richard Wilcox, said: “Following our strong mandate at the recent BID ballot to continue investing in Falmouth through a fourth, five-year term, we are not resting on our laurels.

"Several new projects are being rolled out and with Falmouth businesses stating clearly to us the negative impact that low level crime and anti-social behaviour is having, we have worked hard to plan and now launch the significant new Safe & Secure scheme.

"By strengthening our operational partnerships with our local Police team, the Safer Falmouth group and other organisations, our reach and influence can be more effective and keenly felt by our businesses and wider community.” 

Chris Vincent, Falmouth Neighbourhood Sergeant for Devon and Cornwall Police, added: “My colleagues and I have a great proactive and positive operational teamwork-based system in Falmouth, thanks to the Falmouth Town Team and BID. The more wide-reaching and collaborative our safety systems and networks can be, the better.

"The new Falmouth Street Rangers service and the activation of the Disc system alongside an effective CCTV and town link radio provision, will serve to assist us all in attaining our objectives with regards to low-level crime, an-social behaviour and community engagement.” 

For more information on the Safe and Secure scheme, visit www.falmouth.co.uk