‘Heritage crime’ team now national model for other UK police forces
COUNTY PILOT CATALYST FOR DEDICATED PROTECTION OF OUR PAST
A POLICE team protecting churches and other heritage sites across Leicestershire has inspired other similar units elsewhere in the country.
Leicestershire Police’s Heritage Crime Team works to tackle all kinds of crime and anti-social behaviour affecting our historic sites and buildings.
The team was initially set up three years ago in partnership with Historic England as a pilot scheme. Since then, thanks to its success in reducing crime, a growing number of organisations, including many police services across England and Wales, have followed in its footsteps.
Mark Harrison, head of heritage crime strategy for Historic England, said the existence of the team had protected the heritage sites and encouraged more people to bother reporting problems.
He said: “The pilot carried out by Leicestershire Police has been a major catalyst for how we have developed the Heritage Watch scheme across the rest of the country.
“By galvanizing people with a passion for the past, we have been able to provide better protection to our heritage assets and their settings and also increased public confidence in reporting and recording heritage crime and anti-social behaviour to their local police service.”
The police team regularly monitor the condition of heritage sites across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rut
land, and work up crime prevention plans tailored to the needs of each one.
Heritage sites can include churches, listed buildings, monuments, conservation areas, registered parks, gardens, battlefields and more.
Earlier this year 130 people turned up at the Heritage Crime Team’s church security conference.
The team has also been working with Loughborough University to deliver seminars to students on heritage crime.
The team also works closely with specialists, such as volunteer police cadets, metal detectorists and divers.
Heritage crime volunteer Jenny Kent has a background in archaeology and police research. She works for a maritime archaeology company and leads on heritage crime for them, both on land and underwater.
She said: “I think the Heritage Crime Team is a fantastic asset to communities.
“We are available to offer advice in a pro-active manner and in relation to all types of heritage, from landowners to churches and more.”
Chief Inspector Sian Walls, the force’s lead for rural crime, said: “Sadly, our churches and other heritage sites can fall victim to criminal damage, theft, arson or anti-social behaviour. These crimes often have a devastating impact on our communities and can cause irreversible damage, meaning that a piece of our history could be lost forever.
“Our Heritage Crime Team work closely with Historic England to protect our county’s heritage assets and establish what works best to deter and detect the crime.
“The team members come from a diverse range of backgrounds and bring a whole host of skills with them.
“They are a brilliant asset to the force and together we can protect the heritage of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.”