WHO WILL ANALYSE CRIME NOW TRUCKPOL HAS CLOSED?
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The closure of TruckPol earlier this year has left a gaping hole in the fight against crime that the Road Haulage Association (RHA) has been working hard to address.
RHA head of security Chrys Rampley tells CM a three-way approach between itself, the police and a private analytical service is the most likely model to be adopted.
On the policing side, Rampley says Nottinghamshire Police force has offered a lifeline to hauliers, with the decision to establish a specialist freight crime division under its National Business Crime Forum (NBCF). A cross-sector initiative launched in October last year, the NBCF brings together representatives from the private sector, police forces, the Home Office and other key industry bodies in an attempt to tackle the effect of crime against businesses.
Sergeant Richard Stones is heading up the operation and is urging UK hauliers and police forces to forward any details of freight crime to him, to ensure that a continuous record of data is being kept.
Rampley says: “The RHA is working tirelessly for an appropriate solution for the industry and is appreciative of the role Nottinghamshire police force has committed to. We are pursuing further meetings with the police to establish a workable model for all parties.” She adds that finer details are needed before any proposal is agreed, especially over the way funding and administration is handled.
RHA chief executive Geoff Dunning is also keen for the association to play a much greater role in the fight against freight crime, providing a key link between hauliers and police.