Senior police officers seek to improve 'sensitivity' of neighbourhood policing of F2F

24 June 2009

• Small number of incidents of "disproportionate attention" from policing teams
• Discussion between PFRA and ACPO
• ACPO letter to all chief constables regarding policing of F2F

Following discussions with the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association (PFRA), the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has written to the chief constables of all police forces in England and Wales regarding the policing of face-to-face fundraising.

The letter has been sent by Cambridgeshire chief constable Julie Spence – who is head of ACPO's Citizen Focus 'business area', which deals with standards and quality in policing – in response to PFRA concerns about a small number of incidents of "disproportionate attention" from neighbourhood policing teams.

The letter recounts a few incidents, reported to ACPO by PFRA, where local policing teams have used insensitive efforts to ensure the legitimacy of the fundraisers. These sometimes included "abrupt and insensitive attitudes, including occasions where conversations with the public have been interrupted".

Ms Spence asks her colleagues to highlight PFRA's concerns within their forces and "encourage a sensitive, diplomatic and proportionate approach where charity representatives need to be engaged".

Details of the ACPO letter and its implications for F2F fundraising will be disclosed in more detail at the PFRA's AGM in London on Wednesday 24 June.

Mick Aldridge, ceo of the PFRA, says: "It would be wrong to suggest that heavy-handed policing has been a widespread problem for PFRA members but there had been enough such instances to cause us concern and it was something that we hoped we could nip in the bud. That's why we went directly to ACPO rather than only take the matter up with the forces where we had encountered problems.

"ACPO have been incredibly co-operative and I have no doubt this intervention will go a long way to ensuring a much smoother relationship with neighbourhood policing teams.

"And this advice from ACPO doesn't just cover street fundraising, it also applies to door-to-door fundraising. I think this is a particularly important development at a time when 'no cold calling zones' are attracting more interest in the fundraising sector."

The letter has received a positive reaction, with a sergeant from Surrey Constabulary already having contacted the PFRA with an offer to act as a liaison officer.

ACPO also advises that F2F teams should contact local police districts to give the neighbourhood policing teams advance warning of F2F activity in their area (most police districts have a facility on their website to enter a postcode and find the neighbourhood policing team). PFRA is happy to endorse this advice.

Aldridge adds: "It's extremely gratifying – as this sector's regulator – ¬once again to have worked so closely and successfully with another organisation to resolve controversial and sensitive issues, as we have done before with the likes of the Association of Town Centre Managers."