Hammersmith and Fulham Police Teams to be Reduced

Safer Neighbourhood sergeants cut after Met review

Hammersmith and Fulham is to have four fewer sergeants as a result of the Metropolitan Police review of Safer Neighbourhoods.

The number of Safer Neighbourhood Team sergeants in the borough will be reduced from 16 to 12, with four sets of two wards sharing a single sergeant. The wards are:

Addison & Avonmore and Brook Green
Parsons Green & Walham and Sands End
Munster & Palace Riverside
Fulham Reach & North End

Police say in making this decision the Borough Commander has taken into consideration crime data, local Safer Neighbourhoods demand relating to crime and Anti Social behaviour and other local factors such as the presence of large shopping centres, markets, schools and dense population.

The decision has been made in consultation with key stakeholders and it is anticipated that the Sergeants will be in place by September.

There will be no reduction in the number of Police Officers or Police Community Support Officers with SNTs.

Borough Commander, Chief Superintendent Lucy D'Orsi said: "My officers will continue to deliver an effective neighbourhood policing service that responds to the needs of local communities.

" I believe that SNTs are the Jewel in the Crown of local policing and this new supervision structure will enable my teams to continue with their good work. We have to have an affordable plan during these challenging economic times."

The new comes just weeks after H&F council announced that it had teamed up with local businesses to invest £5 adding extra bobbies 44 extra police in our three town centres.

The council is investing £1.3million a year, with local firms adding an extra £350,000 a year.

The cash is being used to boost the standard Safer Neighbourhoods Teams (SNT) in the borough’s three town centres.

Each of these teams normally consist of one Sergeant, two PCs and three PCSOs and are paid for by the Mayor of London.

Now the PCSOs, who are funded by the Mayor of London will remain, but they will be joined by two more Inspectors, four extra Sergeants and 38 additional PCs working across our town centres.

Cllr Greg Smith, Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) Council Cabinet Member for Residents Services, says: "We have found a way to improve our town centre squads by putting more PCs onto the front-line than ever before. This will give us some of the best Policed town centres in Britain."

As part of the agreement, Westfield London is also paying around £750,000 over three years to provide a permanent onsite police team with high visibility patrols inside the shopping centre. As well as acting on ward priorities the enhanced Shepherds Bush SNT will deter property crime and anti-social behaviour inside the centre.

Westfield London is Europe’s largest inner-city shopping centre with 26 million visitors a year but is one of the safest, with a monthly average of less than 80 crimes.

Emma Hindes, General Manager at Westfield London, says: "Westfield London is part of the local community and we are pleased to be contributing to ensuring the area remains safe and secure for residents and shoppers alike. We have worked closely with the council and the Metropolitan Police on this initiative and we feel it will benefit not only the shopping centre but the wider area."

HammersmithLondon Business Improvement District, which represents businesses around Hammersmith Broadway, is also ploughing in around £100,000 to help fund additional officers in the ward.

Brenhan Magee, Chairman of Fulham Pubwatch and owner of the Broadway Bar & Grill, says:
" Businesses around Fulham Broadway have worked closely with our local beat Police from day one and it is great news that we are getting more Police Constables. They are a reassuring presence around the area have definitely made the area safer.

" We have all worked very hard together over the past few years and the Broadway is now a much nicer place to be."

June 30, 2011