Peterborough Positive Funded Crime Reporting and Intelligence Tool Enhanced with Direct Link to Police Systems
Peterborough Positive, the city’s Business Improvement District (BID), has strengthened support for city centre businesses by enhancing its existing crime reporting and intelligence system, Disc, with direct links into police systems, making it quicker, easier and more effective for businesses to report crime.
The enhancement follows extensive feedback from businesses and close collaboration between Peterborough Positive, Cambridgeshire Constabulary and British Transport Police.
It represents a significant step forward in enabling businesses to play an active role in preventing crime and identifying repeat offenders.
Disc, which is fully funded and managed by Peterborough Positive, has been in place for several years as a secure information sharing platform. The addition of direct crime reporting means incidents submitted by businesses now feed straight into police systems, removing duplication and improving the consistency, quality and impact of reports.
Usage of Disc has grown rapidly across the city centre. The system now has more than 270 business members, with engagement continuing to increase over the past year.
Police use of the system has also grown, with more than 20 officers now actively using the platform to access valuable real time intelligence that supports proactive policing, business priorities and ongoing investigations.
Information shared through Disc is already delivering tangible outcomes, from helping businesses identify and report wanted suspects to supporting same day arrests, the recovery of stolen goods and successful prosecutions.
The work to enhance Disc reflects Peterborough Positive’s wider approach to supporting city centre safety. Following a review last year, the BID moved from funding a dedicated police officer to creating an in house Business Crime and Safety Liaison Officer role. This role focuses on supporting businesses with crime reporting, managing Disc, and working closely with police, the city council enforcement team and partners at both an operational and strategic level.
Pep Cipriano, Chief Operating Officer at Peterborough Positive, said:
“Our businesses have been clear that crime and safety are their top priority. Disc has already proven its value as an intelligence sharing tool, and enhancing it with direct links to police systems is an important step forward. "This integration makes reporting quicker, easier and more effective, while strengthening our partnership with the police and supporting better outcomes for our businesses.”
DCI Chris O’Brien, from Cambridgeshire Constabulary, said:
“We’re working closely with the business community to combat retail crime and bring perpetrators to justice. “Tackling the issue effectively relies on strong information sharing, so this enhanced link between Disc and police systems is a welcome development. It makes it far easier for businesses to report incidents quickly and consistently, giving us better intelligence to identify offenders and take action. “By working with Peterborough Positive and the business community, we can target offenders more effectively and improve safety for everyone who works in and visits the city centre.”
For more information, visit peterboroughpositive.co.uk/disc