For Devon & Cornwall Police, Partnership working in Plymouth revolves around three main strands: Child Safeguarding, Adult Safeguarding and Community Safety. There is a Police representative at Inspector, Chief Inspector and Superintendent level sat on each and every strategic and working group and are conduits between partners and the police.
Child Centred Policing Team
The Child Centered Policing Team (CCPT) is a team of officers comprising of Youth Intervention Officers (YIOs) and Investigating Officers (IOs).
YIOs support schools, children in care, care leavers and are involved with any child issues in their specific area of responsibility within the city. Investigating Officers ( IOs) are responsible for working with adolescents who have been identified as suspects during a crime investigation. Their focus is on diverting these children or young people away from the criminal justice system where at all possible and trying to stop offending behaviours through collaboration with other partnership agencies such as children’s services.
The CCPT also support safeguarding work around missing children through the Daily Intelligence Briefing (DIB) which is held every weekday morning and attended by all partners within the PSCP structure.
Public Protection Unit
The Public Protection Unit sits within the Vulnerable People command and includes:
• The Local Safeguarding Investigation Team (LSIT)
• Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT)
• Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders (MOSOVO)
• Violent and Sexual Offender Register (VISOR)
• Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)
• Central Safeguarding Team (CST)
Local Safeguarding Investigation Team (LSIT)
LSITs are the local investigation arm of the Public Protection Unit and are often the first point of contact for other operational departments requesting assistance of guidance. LSITs are staffed by Detectives, Police Staff Investigators and supervisors, with a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, and investigating child abuse allegations.
Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT)
POLIT are a specialist team that protects and prevents children experiencing online abuse. They investigate predatory paedophiles who use the internet to view and distribute indecent images of children or incite any other online sexual activity involving children.
Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders (MOSOVO)
The MOSOVO team manage the risk posed by registered sex offenders and also violent offenders under the Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements, and offenders identified as being potentially dangerous persons in the community.
Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)
Strategy discussions are held in the MASH following referrals from Partner agencies. The referral goes to the dedicated decision maker in the MASH and they sit for the Central Safeguarding Team for review, research and strategy discussions with children’s social care and other relevant agencies. Often referrals are resolved within the CST but occasionally they are referred out to other departments for investigation.
Central Safeguarding Team (CST)
CST is the force resource supporting the Single Safeguarding Process and all non-investigative safeguarding in relation to safeguarding children and adults at risk.
