Safer Neighbourhoods

Safer Neighbourhoods Review Update July 2011

Earlier this year the Met carried out a review of neighbourhood policing that involved consultation with members of the community and local partners across London. Using the information gathered in the review, we will be making a small number of changes to the ways in which Safer Neighbourhoods teams operate. This will ensure that we can continue to provide effective neighbourhood policing that responds the needs of the local community.

The proposals from the review of Safer Neighbourhoods were discussed at the MPA* Full Authority on the 30th June. The following outlines the key review outcomes and sets out how we intend to take forward neighbourhood policing across London.

The key review outcomes

• The MPS remains firmly committed to dedicated Safer Neighbourhoods teams working to political ward boundaries
• Safer Neighbourhoods teams will work jointly across wards, on a temporary basis, to meet community and crime priorities
• The MPS will not reduce the number of PCs and PCSOs within Safer Neighbourhoods teams as a result of this review
• However, we will reduce management costs. There will be a reduction of 150 Safer Neighbourhoods Sergeants on a pro-rata basis across all boroughs.
  

The review involved extensive engagement with staff, partners and the public looking at the structure, location and function of Safer Neighbourhoods teams across London. Your views were a vital contribution, helping to ensure we continue to meet the needs to local communities.

How the teams will be structured

In line with our continued commitment to neighbourhood policing, we have maintained the number of PCs and PCSOs within Safer Neighbourhoods teams. Boroughs that currently have enhanced teams with six PCSOs will also keep these staff. Teams will continue to work to ward boundaries, unless there are exceptional reasons to change them on a temporary basis to meet local needs.

We will reduce 150 Safer Neighbourhoods Sergeants in 2011/12. This will be spread across all boroughs on a pro-rata basis, which will mean a reduction of between four and six Safer Neighbourhoods Sergeants per borough. Every ward will still have a named Sergeant, although that Sergeant may supervise more than one ward. The role of a Safer Neighbourhoods Sergeant will continue to be that of leading, supervising and managing the engagement and enforcement activity carried out by the PCs and PCSOs.

How the teams will be used?

In the review there was overwhelming support to use Safer Neighbourhoods teams more flexibly to address specific community crime and anti-social behaviour concerns. Therefore we have adjusted our policy to allow temporary deployment to other areas. Wards that are supporting their neighbours during these periods of temporary deployment will keep a minimum strength of one PC and one PCSO from its dedicated team.

Contributing towards reductions in crime and anti-social behaviour through problem-solving activity will continue to be objectives of Safer Neighbourhoods activity. This will ensure teams continue to address the local priorities of the community, affecting both reassurance levels and crime, which will still be set by ward panels.

What will the team do?

These changes will not detract from the core elements of Safer Neighbourhoods policing. Teams will continue to take an intelligence-led approach to identifying community concerns and undertake joint action and problem solving with the community and local partners.

Being there at the right time

Your borough will also be reviewing their current shift patterns for Safer Neighbourhoods teams to ensure they meet local demand more effectively, taking into account that Londoners have told us they want more officers on duty during evenings and weekends.

The MPS remains committed to Safer Neighbourhoods and it is here to stay; tacking those problems that really matter to local community to find lasting solutions.

Thank you for your contribution to our review, your opinions are valuable to us and we will continue to discuss these changes as they are put in place across London. We will keep you informed of progress through this website and other local communications and we encourage you to contact your local Safer Neighbourhoods Team if you have any questions or comments.

* The Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) is the independent governing body that holds the MPS to account