The new proposals are part of a major investment in neighbourhood policing scheduled to commence this Autumn and which sees “a new set of promises” in terms of how the Metropolitan Police serves and protects the communities of London.
Each ward will keep its dedicated officers and PCSOs in local policing teams. Under the new ‘local policing model’ they’ll be part of integrated neighbourhood policing teams (INPTs) comprising of uniformed officers, detectives, forensic and other officers under the leadership of a police inspector.
These teams will investigate ‘lower lever’ neighbourhood crimes, such as thefts, criminal damage and anti-social behaviour. They’ll proactively target offenders, engage with the public and work with communities and partners to address problems.
The teams will agree on a number of promises with local communities, such as patrolling certain areas at certain times, or visiting every secondary school and every place of worship in the area at least once a month.
More complex and serious investigations will remain with CID, who will prioritise on pursuing and disrupting harmful criminals and gang members. Their role will also be about supporting vulnerable people, such as the victims of hate crime or domestic violence.
Changes to shift patterns will also see more officers on duty at key times, such as late at night and at weekends, while officers will be used in a more intelligence-led way in the areas where crime is taking or could take place.
Additionally, in a renewed focus on victim care, any person who suffers from a crime (whether that’s a stolen bicycle or serious assault) will be offered a visit by police.
How do the numbers stack up?
The extra 2,000 officers will result from transferring officers from backroom and non-operational roles and from merging existing squads. In tandem, senior management costs are being reduced to ensure that there are as many constables out in communities as possible.
The new model will also see the introduction of war room-style ‘Grip and Pace’ Centres where senior officers will have daily conferences involving key staff armed with the latest intelligence and data to co-ordinate police activities and ensure all the right resources are being used in the right places and at the right times.
Announcing the changes at a meeting of Borough commanders, Met Police assistant commissioner Simon Byrne (head of territorial policing) explained: “Neighbourhood policing will be the foundation of our ‘total war’ on crime and our total care for victims. Our refreshed approach to local policing will see us being more visible to the public, more flexible in how we use our resources and more focused when it comes to meeting the needs of victims and people affected by crime.”
He added: “Our new policing model will see a number of firm commitments to the public. We’ll increase visibility in neighbourhoods by putting significantly more uniformed officers where the public want to see them. We will operate with greater pace, flexibility and momentum while leadership will be more visible and more intrusive. We will seize every opportunity to cut crime, tackle offending and support victims and we will speak to and listen to people, and respond to their concerns.”
Last year, the Met announced changes to the number of sergeants on Safer Neighbourhoods teams in order to make the supervisory ratios more inline with other police forces. The new model now increases the number of police officers in local communities at a time when the Met is facing budget challenges. For Byrne, this step is “a clear statement” of the force’s commitment to local policing.
More information about the new local policing model will be announced in due course so keep checking back at www.info4security.com for details
