Crime and Disorder Partnerships

Sometimes called community safety partnerships and created under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, partnerships are statutorily enforced groups of police, local authorities (including both councils in two-tier areas), health authorities and probation committees and others. They are charged with working together to develop and implement strategies to decrease crime and disorder in England and Wales.

There are no imposed structures nor is there any assumption that the local authority or the police will lead on any aspect of work and matters like county-wide co-ordination are also left up to the partners.

The act states only that NHS trusts, social landlords and parish or community councils must co-operate with partners but has a much longer list for all those who must be invited to co-operate. These include magistrates’ courts, the Crown Prosecution Service, neighbourhood watch, drug action teams, public transport providers, the military police, shopkeepers, unions, religious groups and Victim Support.

Website: www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk

Other UK equivalents: Crime and disorder partnerships cover Wales