We have the best rozzers in old London Town. The Shepherds Bush Green Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT)has won the prestigious ‘SNT of the Year’ accolade, awarded by new Met Police chief, Bernard Hogan-Howe. And frankly I'm not surprised having accompanied them on their shifts on one Saturday night, and then on a major drugs raid.
Our own Council is one of the only local authorities in the country that directly funds town centre police, and they are rightly proud of having allocated £1.3million a year into the teams - they deserve congratulations for this as does Cllr Greg Smith who leads on this for H&F.
In Shepherds Bush the enhanced SNT comprises two Sergeants, 17 PCs and 5 PCSOs. This compares to a normal SNT of only one Sergeant, two PCs and three PCSOs. All these additional officers are funded by the council apart from the PCSOs. The weakness in the chain is the lack of Sergeants who make everything happen - their necks are on the line if things all go wrong. While Cllr Smith is to be congratulated for putting up the money he sadly doesn't seem to understand this point, maintaining to me recently that it was all about the numbers, not the ranks. Wrong.
Our area is one of the busiest in the borough and obviously home to Westfield Shopping Centre, QPR and four underground stations. Despite these challenges, the SNT has contributed to a reduction in most priority crime areas.
Between June and November 2011 the team arrested 497 people. They also carried out 1,487 stop and searches, obtained six new Anti-social Behaviour Orders, issued 109 cannabis warnings and investigated 444 crimes.
Anti-social behaviour had been a particular problem over recent years and the team has robustly used dispersal zones to combat youth disorder. This zero-tolerance initiative has been particularly popular with local residents whose lives had been blighted with crime.
Borough Commander, Chief Superintendent Lucy D'Orsi said:
"I am delighted that the hard work and professionalism continually demonstrated by the Shepherds Bush Green Enhanced Safer Neighbourhoods Team has been recognised with this award. It reflects the dedication and commitment that the officers have to the Borough and in particular their Ward and local community. The fact that they are judged to be the team of the year out of over 620 other wards within the Metropolitan Police District gives an indication of their performance."
Cllr Greg Smith, Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) Council Cabinet Member for Residents Services, said:
”This accolade means that Shepherds Bush is now the best policed town in London. It is a proven fact that beat bobbies beat crime and, despite the nationwide spending squeeze, we have found a way to improve our town centre squads by putting more PCs onto the front-line than ever before. We are giving the Met the tools to cut crime and it is clear that they are delivering the results that residents expect.”
Well done both - a success story.
boy am I ever glad that I live in Shepherds Bush. At least we can feel safe.
ReplyDeleteI assume this is laced with irony? Either that or murders and multiple stabbings don't bother you in the slightest, nor would you be concerned that a young man who had his house searched recently in white city had enough guns to stage a revolutionary coup. We have splendid police in this borough, always have had, but they are facing a terrible struggle with rising crime and lowering funds
DeleteSo they win an award - and now they cut the numbers further - time for an update?
ReplyDelete