Safe in East Sussex Safer East Sussex Team Newsletter September 2014 In focus Prevent protecting vulnerable people from violent extremism Protecting the UK against Terrorism Prevent - an Introduction East Sussex The Local Picture Local Prevent Work The Channel Process Protecting the UK against Terrorism The Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism, in the Home Office, works to counter the threat from terrorism. Their work is covered in the government s counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST. The strategy is based on 4 areas of work: Pursue: to stop terrorist attacks Prevent: to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism Protect: to strengthen our protection against a terrorist attack Prevent Awareness Raising Prepare: to mitigate the impact of a terrorist attack Sessions Prevent Background How to get involved All the terrorist groups who are a threat to the UK look to radicalise and recruit people to their cause but the percentage of people who are prepared to support violent extremism in this country is very small. It is significantly greater amongst young people. We now have more information about the factors which encourage people to support terrorism and then to engage in terrorism-related activity. It is important to understand these factors if we are to prevent radicalisation and minimise the risks it poses. The Government unveiled its strategy to prevent people being drawn into terrorism in June 2011. The new strategy was published alongside a review of earlier Prevent activity and an assessment of the extent and causes of radicalisation. The Prevent programme is an integral part of the wider counter terrorism strategy and aims to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism by challenging extremist ideology, helping to protect institutions from extremists and tackling the radicalisation of vulnerable people. Prevent is delivered by a wide range of organisations including the police service. To see a full copy of the Prevent strategy go to: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/counter-terrorism/prevent/prevent-strategy/ The East Sussex Safer Communities Partnership is supported by the Safer East Sussex Team, made up from Community Safety staff from Sussex Police, East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, Sussex & Surrey Probation Trust and
Prevent An Introduction Most people of all faiths (and no faith) in this Country reject terrorism and are against it. Prevent is not about convincing citizens that terrorism is wrong. It is actually about enlisting the support of people in our Country to reach the minority who may be attracted to or drawn into terrorism. Prevent as a programme is not owned by police, but policing has a central role. The ACPO National Coordinator of Prevent is a national police unit which works to support the Government s Prevent strategy providing national coordination for the policing response to the prevention of terrorism and also non-violent extremism which creates an environment conducive to terrorism. Prevent is delivered by a wide range of organisations working in partnership, including the police service. It is recognised that the best long term solution to preventing terrorism is to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. Local authorities and their partners have a critical role in preventing terrorism, including tackling non-violent extremism where it creates an environment conducive to terrorism. They are in a good position to talk to their local communities, hear their concerns and help them to reject all forms of terrorism. Prevent is funded from the Home Office and other Government departments. Grants are available for local authority Prevent work. http://www.acpo.police.uk/acpobusinessareas/prevent/whatpreventmeanstoyou.aspx East Sussex The Local Picture Sussex s location provides challenges for preventing the emergence of extremism and terrorism Areas with diverse communities introducing vulnerabilities in terms of community tensions, racial tensions and grievances caused by local, national or international events Proximity to key locations which could be used as targets for terrorist attacks such as Gatwick, major motorways and public transport networks. Terrorist groups need to attract and recruit new people. They do this by promoting what they believe in. This can be done with ease using the internet, as well through other mediums such as gatherings, talks and publications. Sometimes, the people that these groups try and recruit to their cause are vulnerable and easy targets. People who work or live in east Sussex are best placed to notice activity or behaviour which strikes them as suspicious or unusual. Prevent aims to make it easier for people to report any suspicions appropriately. http://www.safeineastsussex.org.uk/content/files/file/prevent.doc
Local Prevent Work Prevent work across East Sussex has been developed jointly between the Sussex Police Prevent Engagement Officer (PEO) and the Safer East Sussex Team. Over the past eight months we have shared ideas and discussions on how this agenda is introduced to professionals working across East Sussex. Our work has included training frontline professionals, promoting resilience in communities and embedding the Channel referral process within existing safeguarding arrangements. Above all else the main focus has been to raise awareness of this agenda across all agencies. Guidance entitled - Prevent-Supporting Individuals Vulnerable to Recruitment by Violent Extremists in East Sussex with the purpose of setting out the local authority s corporate response to the Prevent strand of the Counter Terrorist Strategy will be in use by Autumn 2014 for ESCC professionals. This will be available on the intranet for staff to access and digest. There will be public information available on the ESCC website about Prevent and processes in East Sussex. A range of teams within ESCC have had prevent sessions including Children s Services Planning Groups, Local Safeguarding Children s Board, Adult Safeguarding Practice Managers, Libraries, School s ICT Support Service, Governor Services and Supporting People providers. The East Sussex Schools ICT team have incorporated Prevent into their support to all schools in the County. Information detailing how Prevent should be incorporated into Schools ICT policies especially with regard to e-safety will be included in the School Support Pack given to schools which access local authority ICT support. Approximately 2/3 schools per week are supported by this team prevent information will be passed onto parents, staff and senior leaders as part of their overall e-safety guidance. Governors Services were very interested in raising awareness of prevent to individuals who lead, manage and oversee school policies, procedures and school governance. Governor clerks attended several sessions in order to disseminate Prevent information to governing bodies. Schools are beginning to engage with the Prevent agenda as there are clear links with other strands of work such as hate crime and prejudiced based bullying. Terrorist groups need to attract and recruit new people and very often younger people are targeted and more vulnerable to recruitment so much of our work to date has been developed with Children s Services Further and Higher Education Institutions have been very keen to engage with Prevent and Safeguarding Coordinators from Sussex Downs College were very interested to learn more and are incorporating Prevent strands into their existing safeguarding policies. For the LSCB Summer 2014 Newsletter and article on prevent: http://www.eastsussexlscb.org.uk/home_news_events.html
The Channel Process The Channel process (a multiagency approach) looks after those people who are vulnerable to becoming terrorists, and puts bespoke protective measures around them to safeguard, divert or educate them, or otherwise help them as necessary. There are several steps before a panel is convened and many referrals do not require a panel meeting. 1. Who is the first point of contact if I have a concern? The Sussex Police Prevent Engagement Officer 2. How do I make a referral to Channel? Consult with the Sussex Police Prevent Engagement Officer regarding the suitability of referral who will provide you with the Channel Referral and Assessment Form. The Police Channel Practitioner completes an extensive risk assessment (at no point will the person be created on the criminal records system but a local report will be created) Wherever possible the consent of the person concerned should be obtained before sharing any information. 3. Screening Referrals Any referral received is initially be screened by the Prevent Engagement Officer and their line manager. A referral will not continue through the Channel process if: It is malicious or misguided; It is clear the person is not vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism; or The person is being managed through Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements 4. Preliminary Assessment The preliminary assessment (also referred to as The Prevent Case Management Meeting (PCM) in Sussex) is led by the Prevent force lead and will include the Regional Channel Coordinator and Sussex Police employees.at this point deconfliction checks will be conducted and the decision made as to whether the referral is right to sit within the Channel process. At this point a joint visit is made to the individual along with Police Prevent staff to decide if the case is to be referred to the Channel Panel. The Chair of the panel will be contacted and they will make arrangements with the support of the Safer East Sussex Team to convene a panel. Not every referral will require a Channel panel and in fact the majority of individuals in East Sussex do not reach the panel stage. Individuals who present the highest risk of harm/vulnerability in their local community are referred onto the Channel panel. 5. The Channel Panel The role of the Channel panel is to develop an appropriate support package to safeguard those at risk of being drawn into terrorism based on an assessment of their vulnerability. The panel using their professional expertise will develop a support package. This will be based on a review of the vulnerability assessment completed by the Channel Police Practitioner at the preliminary assessment stage, the needs of the individual and any risks posed to potential support providers. It is essential that everyone at the meeting is sure that all actions can be effectively managed.
6. Support Package / Action Plan The type of activities included in a support package will depend on risk, vulnerability and local resources. A diversionary activity may be sufficient for someone who is in the early stages of radicalisation to violence, whereas a more focussed and structured one-on-one mentoring programme may be required for those who are already radicalised. The following support programmes might be considered: Counselling: providing advice and support in dealing with a range of personal issues that could create vulnerability Faith guidance: helping an individual to develop their knowledge of religion, to better challenge the claims of some violent extremist ideologies Civic engagement: exploring political engagement, civil challenge, human rights, social justice and citizenship Working with support networks: engaging family and peers to provide help for the person concerned Mainstream services: education; employment; health; and housing. T hese examples show that those closest to the individuals at risk of radicalisation are in the best position to help them. In January 2009, Nicky Reilly was convicted after he attempted to attack a restaurant in Exeter. Previously, he had regular contact with mental health services and had spoken about terrorism to them. Andrew Ibrahim was jailed in July 2009 for plotting to blow up a shopping centre in Bristol. Ibrahim was arrested after members of the Muslim community, who had attended an awareness workshop on Prevent, raised concerns about him to the police. Prevent Awareness Raising Sessions A workshop to raise awareness of Prevent and how and when to support vulnerable people: This introductory workshop to Prevent is about supporting and protecting those people that might be susceptible to radicalisation, ensuring that individuals and communities have the resilience to resist violent extremism. The workshop aims to give: An understanding of the Prevent agenda and your role within it The ability to use your existing expertise and professional judgement to recognise potentially vulnerable individuals and know when an intervention may be necessary to support them Knowledge of when, how and where to refer concerns about vulnerable individuals These sessions are based within your own workplace and are suitable for a team to a few individuals and will last approximately 1 hour ( no cost)- For further details on this or to book a workshop please contact: PC Dave Law - Sussex Police Prevent Engagement Officer David.law@sussex.pnn.police.uk
How to get involved.. It is important that we have more projects in education, communities and the criminal justice system in order to challenge extremist views. So over the next six months the Safer East Sussex Team and Sussex Police Prevent Engagement Officer will be working with existing local organisations and charities to take part in Prevent developing community projects with more of a focus on community cohesion and celebrating differences. If you have any ideas/projects that could promote Prevent within your own organisation please get in touch with lucy.spencer@eastsussex.gov.uk The Safer East Sussex Team are on the move! From the 1 st of September 2014 we will be located at: The Safer East Sussex Team Eastbourne Hammonds Drive Police Station Hammonds Drive, Eastbourne, BN23 6PW Published by: Safer East Sussex Team For more information about this newsletter or to submit articles please contact: Lucy Spencer: lucy.spencer@eastsussex.gov.uk Telephone: 01323 463314 The Safer East Sussex Team on Twitter @SaferEastSx