Safer District

Community safety

The Street Beat team consists of police officers that are directly employed on the streets within the Linen Quarter. The Street Beat team is key to developing local knowledge around community safety and crime in liaison with local stakeholders and works to successfully identify and resolve problems.

In addition, a Community Safety Forum has been set up to:

  • Provide a platform for local organisations to share insights and concerns in relation to crime and anti-social behaviour
  • Support the work of the PSNI, including a review of the bespoke LQ Street Beat team, funded by Linen Quarter BID.
  • Discuss problem solving solutions, including policing priorities for the area, staff training, and crime reduction initiatives.

The Forum meets quarterly and is open to all member organisation of the Linen Quarter BID.

Please contact streetbeat@psni.pnn.police.uk for more info.

LQ Premises – Xmas Update

Many premises across the Linen Quarter will go into a 6-week lockdown beginning Saturday 26th, and sadly, criminals will seek to take advantage, with 21 commercial burglaries taking place across Belfast since September 2020. In recent weeks there have been a number of burglaries in the City Centre, four of which occurred on the same night. Police responded quickly and arrested four suspects, two of which were subsequently charged to court. Police are following lines of enquiry in respect to the other burglaries.

The good news is that overall statistics show commercial burglaries and shoplifting are down around 40% year on year.  Overall crime is down too, so anyone who works, lives in, or visits the Linen Quarter is less likely to be a victim of crime.

However, the PSNI cannot protect every premises all of the time, and need the support of the business community to defeat criminals and stamp out crime. Please take a few moments to consider how you can play your part.

What Can You Do To Protect Your Business 

Business do not have to turn their premises into a fortress, but implementing a few simple measures will make it more difficult for potential offenders, by reducing the opportunity for crime.

Use Suitable Lighting

If a building is well lit up it is less likely that a burglar will break into the property. Use plenty of lighting inside and outside your property. Good lighting will also be safer for staff working in the premises and alleyways should always be well illuminated. LQ BID StreetBeat and Belfast City Council have recently conducted a lighting survey of the public realms to identify and improve street lighting within Linen Quarter.

Secure Your Premises 

  • Install security lighting.
  • Install security grills or shutters.
  • Install an approved alarm system and/or CCTV for both interior and exterior of your premises.
  • Brief all staff on your security procedures.
  • Test the security measures regularly and ensure they are activated when the premises are closed.
  • If your premises are going to be vacant for a prolonged period remove any valuable items and stock.

PSNI are deploying extra resources to the city centre for night time patrols throughout the Xmas period. LQ StreetBeat patrols continue to conduct premises checks to ensure they remain secure, and will continue to work with our partner agencies to keep people safe and protect the vulnerable.

If you require any further advice you can contact LQ dedicated Police Officer, Constable Chris Wallace who can arrange a Crime Prevention Officer to visit your premises to review your current security:

Chris Wallace  Musgrave PSNI   Ext. 17158   Mob. 07585979301

Preventing Retail Burglary 

Protecting Your Business

Safe Shop Scheme 

Trying to provide a safe environment for customers can sometimes be very challenging for many business owners across the Linen Quarter and City Centre, with incidents likely to occur when least expected.

To provide support, Linen Quarter officer PC Chris Wallace has put together a manual to help guide members to manage disruptive people:

Cyber Security for Small Businesses

Cyber security can be really overwhelming for some small business owners, however, it is very important to ensure that measures are in place to protect against online threats. By following five key recommendations from the PSNI, small business owners can significantly reduce their chances of falling victim to a cyber attack, ensuring their day to day business operations run smoothly with no interferences.

To find out how you can protect your business with the five key recommended steps – read on here: