Specialist parking operator, VINCI Park UK’s contracts with Lister and Addenbrooke’s hospitals have both successfully achieved accreditation to the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS).
Four Lister representatives attended a presentation last month at Stevenage Police station to receive their official certificate, with seven Addenbrooke’s representatives attending a presentation in due course.
CSAS is a voluntary scheme where individuals currently working in a position of the public and community safety receive training to support the police. Chief constables can choose to accredit employed people already working in roles which contribute to maintaining and improving community safety with limited, but targeted, powers. These roles include neighbourhood wardens, hospital security guards, park wardens, shopping mall guards and train guards.
The scheme creates a framework for public and private bodies to work in partnership with the police, providing additional uniformed presence in communities and capitalising on the skills and information captured by those already engaged with the community.
All schemes are managed, monitored and assessed at a local level by the responsible police force and, as CSAS accredited employees have an identification badge endorsed by the local police force, they are a very efficient way of increasing uniformed presence on the streets. The scheme helps reduce local issues such as street drinking and dog fouling. They also promote greater ties between business and police, allowing the police to help with training and intelligence gathering. The CSAS promotes the partnership and the two-way exchange of information and intelligence between agencies.
Lee Hales, VINCI Park UK’s Operations Director says: “This is a big step forward for our business. By enhancing our security service offering by investing in bespoke employee training while developing relationships with and working alongside the local police we offer a safe and efficient service to our customers.”
