Policeman deservedMBE, for Pete’s sake!

PC Pete Knowles, who was recognised for services to policing, has spent the past 16 years as the Beds Police architectural liaison officer – preventing the people of Dunstable, Houghton Regis and the surrounding area from becoming victims of crime.

The role covers the entire county’s built environment and includes work on the Designing Out Crime scheme, where new buildings and housing developments have incorporated better layouts and design features to make committing crime more difficult or less attractive for criminals.

Much of PC Knowles’ work has led directly to major reductions in crime.

His proposal for a redesign of a railway station car park in Bedford cut the number of thefts of and from the vehicles parked there by 90 per cent.

PC Knowles’ latest success has been working with housing associations and other social landlords to improve life for tenants. Because those convicted of crimes also often cause problems for their neighbours and community back at home, PC Knowles has designed and pioneered a scheme which is now working all over the county.

When someone with a social housing address is cautioned, charged or convicted, a letter is sent to the tenant warning that details of the offence will be forwarded to the landlord to enable the tenancy to be reviewed.

The tenant is liable for anyone living in the house and a copy of the letter is also sent to the offender. “To some tenants a low level conviction or caution is viewed as an inconvenience, but the threat of losing their homes is acting as a real deterrent,” said PC Knowles.

“It has also made a difference to juvenile offending as parents are coming down a lot harder on their children when the whole family becomes at risk of being homeless.”

Beds Chief Constable Gillian Parker said: “Pete has demonstrated outstanding commitment and dedication during his 28 years’ service with Bedfordshire Police and his contribution has transformed the lives of many.

“His dedication to working within the community to ‘design out’ crime has resulted in national recognition for his innovation, determination and drive.

“His record of achievement is excellent and his expertise has led to him speaking with senior MPS at the House of Commons and he is a regular speaker on the subject elsewhere.

“The honour shows that the work done behind the scenes by police officers is just as important to people as the work done by the officers that people see in the frontline. I am delighted for Pete that his work has been recognised in this way.”