Page 46 - the SyI Quarterly 15

Our Corporate Partners

Optimal Risk Group & Friends -

Educating and Influencing

Optimal Risk Group is formed of three companies, Optimal Risk
Consulting, Training and Enfortis. The consultancy arm provides
services to CNI, corporate and private clients. The training
business supports specialist training for Law Enforcement
and Governmental departments as well as Corporate Security
departments. The Enfortis arm provides support to Local
Authorities and Private clients that have problems with
environmental crime such as Fly-tipping, hare coursing and theft of
high value agricultural machinery that ruins crops and scars areas
of outstanding natural beauty in our countryside. I’m sure you have
all seen it, wherever you live.

Over the past year, Optimal Risk Group companies have been
promoting security services and demystifying the false perceptions
that are often associated with the word ‘SECURITY’. We decided it
was time to gather the key stakeholders together to address the threats, risks and vulnerabilities that Security
services can manage or mitigate. This week we hosted two conferences to achieve our aims. This could only
be achieved with maximum impact if we pulled together other altruistic organisations to share the burden and
increase the reach and impact. It was an ambitious target!

The Rural Crime Conference Tuesday 27 June 2023
In partnership with the National Rural Crime Network, a conference on Rural crime and food security was
hosted at the Institute of Directors. The NRCN is a ‘not for profit’ organisation funded by Police and Crime
Commissioners as the voice that will challenge Government at all levels to face up to the real impact of rural
crime on our nation. This topic has grown exponentially in policing priorities at County and national levels with
the formation of a National Rural Policing team, increased penalties for rural crimes like Fly tipping that costs
the country £100s Million to clear up.

Commencing with an introduction by Rt Hon Thérèse Coffey, Secretary of State at Defra, the scene was set.
Crimes that are unique to the rural communities, crimes that affect food production and food security must be
addressed and reduced. Rob Taylor, Welsh Government rural and wildlife crime liaison unit spoke about their
regional experiences in combatting rural crime. A best practice approach was clear to understand, Wales has a
lot of rural communities and are working hard for them, collaborating across offender rehabilitation, domestic
violence and wider OCG priorities. Dr Kate Tudor shared a preview of her latest research into “organised crime”
impacts on rural crime from commercial scale fly-tipping and theft of farming machinery, such a satnavs from
Combine harvesters that prevent a time critical harvest, leaving crops to rot in the fields. It was recognised
that information on rural crimes are lost in the wider statistics. Regional ownership is insufficient and Rural
crimes are falling between the gaps. She left us in no doubt that national organised crime gangs are behind the
majority of major crimes in rural communities.

Supt Andy Huddleston, who is leading the newly formed National Rural Policing Team, applauded the impact
of the conference, recognising that the collaborative efforts of those involved is aligning the national direction