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Call for businesses to help promote Prevent

Counter Terrorism Policing is urging business leaders to play a greater role in promoting Prevent in order to stop vulnerable people from being drawn into terrorism.

Despite police having built strong links across many industries since the attacks in the UK in 2017, only one per cent of referrals to the scheme that seeks to support individuals before they become involved in criminal activity come from the business sector.

The UK’s lead counter terrorism officer, Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, told a conference of senior security managers that he wants to see more referrals and even more partnership working between police and the private sector.

He said: “Prevent is about using early intervention, safeguarding and supporting individuals to stop terrorism in its tracks. We receive round 7000 referrals a year but less than one percent of these come from businesses.

“Police Prevent officers need to work more closely with the business community to address this gap and ensure the right processes and training are in place. This work will take us further on the journey towards the sort of cross-sector collaboration that is needed to slow the tide of terrorism. This is a whole society problem that needs the whole of society to do something to help make a difference.”

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