Appendix B – Section 17 Crime and Disorder Act 1998

 

Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act applies to the Police and Local Authorities. The Police Reform Act 2002 amends to include the Fire Service and provide and creates a duty to consider the impact of its various activities and functions on crime, anti-social behaviour and substance misuse in everything they do, and further to do everything they reasonably can to prevent crime, anti-social behaviour and substance misuse in their area.  (Despite the Primary Care Trust being made a ‘responsible authority’ by this legislation, there was a specific exclusion in relation to statutory responsibilities under Section 17. Amendments in the Police Reform Act mean that the Home Secretary can decide to include other agencies, such as the National Offender Management Service, without further legislation).

 

For example, the following are priorities for the Central Operational Command Unit of the Hampshire Constabulary. The table below sets out some examples of how the application of Section 17 might work in relation to these priorities:

 

Central Operational Command Unit of the Hampshire Constabulary Force Control Strategy Section 17 activity for responsible authorities

Diversion

  • Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA)
  • Prolific and Priority offenders
  • Serious and organised Crime with a focus on insurgent dealers, cannabis factories and proceeds of crime act
 To identify and share any relevant information.

Tackle terrorism and violent extremism
  • Development of seven point terrorism response plan.
  • Operation Rainbow visits by Districts subject to monitoring at monthly Operations meeting
  • Crowded places and vulnerable sites risk assessments to be carried out.
  • Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to have plans in place to deal with emergencies

Serious acquisitive crime series

  • Vehicle crime
  • Burglary Dwelling
  • Robbery
  • National indicators
  • To respond through the Community Tasking and Coordination Group to any identified crime patterns
  • To adopt a problem solving approach to identified issues
Fight serious and organised crime
  • To support through the Community Tasking and Coordination Group
Knife and Gun Crime
  • To work in partnership to raise awareness within communities at risk
  • Education