THE POLICE and Crime Commissioner has welcomed government ministers ahead of a national announcement on spiking earlier this week.
Matthew Barber was joined by Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police Jason Hogg in welcoming the Home Secretary, the Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, and minister for victims and safeguarding Laura Farris in Windsor.
They discussed Thames Valley Police’s ongoing work to tackle violence against women and girls and measures implemented to curtail spiking.
The PCC also praised new initiatives and laws brought in on Monday, December 18, which target spiking.
They join initiatives such as Project Vigilant, which uses a combination of uniformed and plain clothes officers to undertake patrols outside night-time venues to identify signs of predatory behaviour.
Since the implementation of the project, TVP has also trained officers from other forces to deliver the programme elsewhere.
The event came ahead of new legislation unveiled by the government on Monday, December 18, which sought to clarify that spiking is illegal and sees up to 10 years of jail time for perpetrators.
The government also implemented a number of practical measured aimed at providing better support for victims and the wider public.
These included proposals to train more door staff, investing in research into spiking testing kits, and new reporting tools.
Matthew Barber said “I was pleased to welcome the Home Secretary to Windsor and, together with the Chief Constable, have the opportunity to showcase some of the great work that Thames Valley Police is doing to tackle violence against women and girls in the night time economy through Project Vigilant, as well as supporting venues that participate in the national Ask for Angela initiative.”
He added: “I welcome the Government’s commitment to update the law around spiking.
“Spiking is a crime that significantly impacts victims, both women and men– I support any plans which will improve awareness and prevention of spiking in the night time economy.
“The new measures announced by the Government include investment to develop drink testing kits and training for venue staff to spot the signs of spiking and potential perpetrators.”
He explained: “An online tool will also be rolled out to all police forces to make it easier for people to report instances of spiking.
“Taken together, these will increase the likelihood of incidents being detected and convictions being secured.”
Home Secretary James Cleverly said: “Tackling violence against women and girls is a personal priority for me and this government has shown time and again that we will do what is necessary to keep the public safe.
“Spiking is a perverse crime which can have a lasting impact on victims.
“Our comprehensive new measures are designed to help police and staff in bars, restaurants, pubs and other premises to protect victims and bring more offenders to justice.”
