TruckPol

Road freight crime is an ongoing problem which is estimated to cost the UK economy up to £1 billion per year. The theft of large goods vehicles and their loads causes significant economic and logistical harm to manufacturers, operators and retailers alike.

Now part of the newly formed ACPO Vehicle Intelligence Service, based at Ryton on Dunsmore, Warwickshire, TruckPol is a public/private sector partnership, supported by the Home Office, Association of Chief Police Officers and industry stakeholders. This partnership is crucial in sharing information on national road freight crime to deliver solutions to minimise opportunities for criminals to target your business and drive down road freight crime.

Our principle aim is to bring together representatives from the police, government and industry, particularly haulage and logistics, shipping, insurance and manufacturing, to share data and intelligence on criminal activity, highlighting emerging trends and ‘hot spot' areas to make the freight transportation and logistics industry a safer place within which to work.

The unit was launched in December 2006 by the under secretary for Police and Security Mr Vernon Coaker, and also by Mr Ken Jones QPM the President of ACPO.

The funding is obtained through two streams. The Home Office fund ACPO through the Acquisitive Crime Board which in turns funds AVCIS. Additionally funds are raised through private sponsorship.

TruckPol is the only national unit of its kind which can provide a strategic overview, reporting back on the nature and extent of the problem through the Home Office Vehicle Crime Reduction Section, Serious & organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).

In the forthcoming months additional staff are being recruited to develop the unit further. It is anticipated that the unit will grow to a core team of around 20 staff.

TruckPol has its own web presence at www.truckpol.com and contact can be made by telephone, E-mail and Fax at the numbers below:

Telephone: 02476 516 246
Fax: 02476 826 131
E-mail: truckpol@avcis.pnn.police.uk