Top dogs meet to decide future of reborn TruckPol
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By Derren Hayes
THE FUTURE OF the reborn TruckPol initiative (CM 20 September) is expected to be cemented today (22 November) when its leading stakeholders meet to decide its ultimate direction.
After TruckPol collapsed earlier this year due to government funding being withdrawn, it was proposed that the specialist freight crime unit would be resurrected through a partnership between the haulage industry, National Crime Business Forum and Business Crime Intelligence Bureau (BCIB). Last month, CM sister title Motor Transport reported that the reborn TruckPol was gaining momentum, with the BCIB beginning to feed intelligence through to the Road Haulage Association (RHA). However, the Association of Chief Police Officers has suggested some police forces are reluctant to deal with a private firm.
RHA head of crime and security Chrys Rampley said: “The police want to put some different governance in place. The original arrangements with the BCIB weren’t robust enough and the police realised it needed proper police governance. The police have put their own man in and have a fulltime analyst. But they still want us involved with the [freight], and insurance industries continuing to put in money.” A three-month trial of the partnership arrangements started in September, with the view to it being extended if the transport sector committed to cover the £100,000 annual running costs. The meeting is expected to flesh out plans for TruckPol, which include the efforts being led by the RHA to encourage industry bodies and transport operators to commit to funding.