A BRAND new initiative to help prevent crime in Kidderminster town centre involving a smartphone app has been launched.

The 'Business Watch' will see local businesses, organisations and staff from the Kidderminster BID partner with Wyre Forest Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) to implement a collaborative approach towards tackling crime, ASB and making Kidderminster a safer place to live, visit and work.

The collaborative approach will see the use of the DISC Platform which will enable businesses to share information and intelligence to those signed up to the watch which will be shared with officers.

The information and intelligence shared via the DISC platform will inform and assist local policing activity such as foot patrols, investigations and administering crime prevention.

Sergeant Matthew Ling, Kidderminster SNT, said: "It's vitally important that we continue to build new and strengthen already existing partnerships between the police and the community. These stronger relationships will help assist our officers in preventing and detecting crime and ASB and allow our communities to share information and intelligence directly related to crime and ASB impacting their businesses and across the town centre as a whole.

“I believe that through the introduction of this Business Watch we can increase trust and confidence in West Mercia Police, further develop collaborative working within in our communities and to help create a safer Kidderminster town centre for us all."

Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said: “Thanks to Business Watch’s success in Hoo Farm industrial estate, it is now being rolled out into Kidderminster town centre helping to create an environment where people are safe and feel safe. It is great to see the benefit of that scheme widened to other areas in Kidderminster.”

James Barker from Kidderminster BID said “It’s been an amazing experience collaborating closely with the West Mercia police getting DISC rolled out.

“DISC will allow all of the local businesses to communicate clearly with the Police and take the fight to the prolific offenders finally taking them off the streets.”