The Metropolitan Police has announced plans to put more officers on the beat in some of London’s busiest areas – including the West End – to target crime that most affects the public.
The Met said it is “ruthlessly prioritising resources” despite the organisation getting smaller overall. Up to 80 more officers will join the dedicated West End team, tackling antisocial behaviour, violence against women and girls, shoplifting and phone robbery.
Neighbourhood policing will also be stepped up with 90 additional officers spread across six town centres – Brixton, Kingston, Ealing, Finsbury Park, Southwark and Spitalfields.
Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “The Met is getting smaller but more capable. We have a laser-like focus on ensuring our officers and staff are in roles where they can drive down crime on issues that matter the most to Londoners.
“This is what the public expects of the police, which is why we are putting neighbourhood policing first, tackling the crimes that we know are impacting the public in the busiest areas, and making the capital’s streets safer.
“We’re adding up to 170 additional officers, split between the West End and town centres across London. Thanks to the hard work of our local teams, neighbourhood crime has already fallen by almost a fifth over the last year and moving these officers to the frontline will make sure we are a more visible presence in London.”
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:“Nothing is more important to me than keeping Londoners safe. Thanks to record funding from City Hall, the West End will see a 50 per cent increase in the number of police officers on the beat and an additional 90 police officers working in new or enhanced town centre teams in hotspot areas.
“Despite years of austerity by the previous government, this is the latest example of the Met Police and I prioritising what Londoners want and delivering on our pledge to put high visibility policing at the heart of fighting crime and rebuilding community confidence and trust.”
The Met said it has already recruited over 300 PCSOs towards a target of 500, and added over 300 officers from superintendents to constables.
In the West End, robbery has fallen by 20%, violence with injury by 25%, and violence against a person by 8%. Across London, robbery, theft and knife crime are also reported to be down since the start of the financial year.
Ros Morgan, Chief Executive of the Heart of London Business Alliance, said: “A safer West End is essential to its success. We welcome the Mayor and Met Commissioner’s response to our calls for more policing. With over 200 million visitors a year and a £50 billion contribution to the UK economy, keeping this district secure isn’t optional — it’s vital.”
The Met is also rolling out the second phase of its New Met for London plan, which focuses on cutting crime, building trust and maintaining high standards.
For Harrow, it comes just weeks after Harrow-on-the-Hill ward was named one of 32 high-priority areas across London receiving additional attention this summer to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in town centres.
Londoners are being asked for their views. A public survey is available here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6NCR3LH
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
He launched Harrow Online in 2010 as a Facebook page sharing local news and information. Since then, it has grown into a trusted source for breaking news, crime, council decisions, planning, transport, business and community stories across the borough.
Harrow Online reaches hundreds of thousands of readers each month and has a social media audience of more than 200,000 followers.
For news tips, press releases or enquiries, contact Chris at info@harrowonline.org.
