Safer Neighbourhoods

'Safer Neighbourhoods Shared Supervision'

The new arrangements for Safer Neighbourhoods Teams (SNTs) that will involve some wards sharing supervision from sergeants have now been agreed.

This follows the decision to reduce Safer Neighbourhoods Sergeant posts by 150 in 2011/12 following a review of SNTs by the Territorial Policing (TP) Development Programme.

Teams will not merge; every ward will continue to have a dedicated Safer Neighbourhoods team with a named Sergeant although that Sergeant may now supervise more than one team. Reductions have been made across boroughs on a pro-rata basis, equalling on average four to six Sergeants per borough.

Acting Assistant Commissioner for TP, Stephen Kavanagh said: “Since the original Safer Neighbourhoods model was rolled out in 2006, it has become clear that some wards are much busier than others and in some locations Sergeants themselves have told us that they have the capacity to supervise more than one team.

“In the current economic climate it makes it imperative that the MPS is providing the best value for money from its resources and the shared supervision model supports this.”

Borough Commanders decided which wards will share a Sergeant by consulting with ward panels and local partners and taking into account local demand relating to crime and disorder to ensure the changes were made in an informed way.

A/AC Kavanagh added: “Safer Neighbourhoods Teams have contributed to increased satisfaction and confidence since they were introduced in 2006 through their work with partners and the community. This is a notable achievement of which we are proud and these changes will help to build upon this success.”

SNT supervision breakdown