Dover was the first town in Kent to receive the Safer Shopping Award.

The then Home Secretary David Blunkett was among those who congratulated the Dover Partnership Against Crime (DPAC) for its success in gaining the award in March 2002. "This is well deserved recognition for what has been achieved," he wrote in a letter to Dover MP Gwyn Prosser. "It's an outstanding example of partnership in action and is one that I hope other areas will be able to learn from."

The award was presented at a ceremony in Dover Town Hall by Michael Schuck, assistant director of Retail Crime with the British Retail Consortium. Dover was the first town in Kent to fully meet the stringent criteria needed to gain the Home Office award.

There are around 100 DPAC members in Dover, each equipped with a two-way radio which links them with the police and CCTV control room. They are also able to communicate with each other, warning of suspected criminals, deterring them from comitting crime, and tracking them if offences are committed. The scheme has led to hundreds of arrests and a significant reduction in crime in the town centre, making it a very safe shopping environment for townsfolk and visitors alike.

The award - now called the Safer Business Award - was renewed in 2005.

The Safer Shopping Award Presentation at Dover Town Hall