Lorry drivers offered exploitation and vulnerability training
Lorry drivers from two Telford companies have become the latest workers to receive exploitation and vulnerability training by West Mercia Police.
Last year, West Mercia Police introduced two dedicated exploitation and vulnerability trainers as part of We Don’t Buy Crime who, building on the success of work in Telford, deliver bespoke training sessions to raise awareness of criminal exploitation and vulnerability across the force area.
On Wednesday, staff at KRL Haulage in Halesfield and Williamson Haulage Company in Telford were the first haulage companies to receive the training.
We Don’t Buy Crime Inspector Ram Aston said: “Haulage companies are the latest companies our exploitation and vulnerability trainers are working with to offer this fantastic training.
“We have already worked with staff at service stations and drive thru restaurants to upskill staff to know the signs of exploitation to look out for with haulage companies now the next phase.
“Lorry drivers are on the road frequently and will be familiar with the main routes through our counties, they park up at service stations, laybys and overnight lorry parks and play an absolutely vital role in helping to tackle criminal exploitation and identifying vulnerability hots.
“We know criminals use our road network to commit crime, whether they’re travelling from other areas into our counties to commit crime, or trafficking children and young people to criminally exploit them. Lorry drivers are our eyes and ears, we want them to know the signs to look out for and if they see anything that seems out of the ordinary or suspicious we want to hear from them.”
We Don’t Buy Crime is West Mercia Police’s response to acquisitive crime and associated harm and is supported by West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion.
He said: “Protecting communities, particularly our most vulnerable, is an integral part of creating a safer West Mercia and will always be at the heart of my work as Commissioner. As part of my commitment to protecting the most vulnerable, I have contributed to funding the valuable role of exploitation and vulnerability trainers in West Mercia.
“Expanding the exploitation and vulnerability training to include hauliers that have staff across the road network day-in, day-out will bring us another step closer to reducing harm.”
We Don’t Buy Crime takes a holistic approach utilising effective crime prevention and innovative policing to reduce acquisitive crime and its associated harm by safeguarding vulnerable adults, children and young people.
So far, 20,645 frontline professionals working in licensed premises, hotels, education, post people, refuge collectors, social services, and for local authorities have received We Don’t Buy Crime’s exploitation and vulnerability training.
