Mobile criminals on the run

Friday June 26, 2009

Two new teams of handpicked beat Police are tackling the mobile criminals that target major transport hubs in the borough.

Hammersmith bus station - which is the second busiest transport interchange in London - is benefitting from a new nine-strong team. The transport links around Westfield London - the biggest inner city shopping centre in Europe - has also gained an elite squad of beat bobbies.

The two new teams are jointly funded by Transport for London and the Metropolitan Police Service and are part of the Mayor of London's commitment to increase the police presence on and around public transport in the capital.

The new squads started work last month and are made up of one Sergeant, one Police Constable and seven Police Community Support Officers. Following H&F Council's funding for extra town centre Police the new transport teams mean there are now record numbers of Police operating in the borough.

Councillor Greg Smith, H&F Council Cabinet Member for Crime & Street Scene, says: "Both of these locations pose challenges for the Police because of the large numbers of people using them everyday and sheer size of them. It is positive to see the Mayor of London putting the extra resources in to tackling the criminal minority in these busy areas.

"Combined with the council funding for extra beat bobbies in our town centres H&F is now one of the best resourced areas - in terms of police numbers - in the capital."

Inspector Bill Heasman from the 24/7 Shepherds Bush Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team said: "This will greatly enhance the already existing 24/7 community policing project in the Shepherds Bush area giving us more resources to concentrate on this busy transport hub. This will make traveling in Shepherds Bush safer and decrease the incidents of anti social behavior."

Two years ago the council clubbed together with local businesses to pay for extra beat bobbies in Fulham and Shepherds Bush town centres. Last April the council agreed to pay for a third extra squad - this time in Hammersmith. Combined with a zero-tolerance approach the move has worked with 4,000 fewer victims of crimes in the past three years according to Police Borough Commander, Kevin Hurley.

Violent crime has fallen dramatically in the past year with gun crime halving and knife crime down by more than a quarter.

Councillor Smith concludes: "We have seen crime tumble in the borough over the last couple of years but we will not rest on our laurels and these 18 extra officers will make travelling around the borough even safer."