More Beat Bobbies

April 6, 2009 (amended April 14)

Hammersmith is the latest town centre to get an extra squad of council funded beat Police.

A handpicked team of beat Bobbies started pounding the streets around Hammersmith Broadway from April 6. The move follows successful trial schemes in Fulham and Shepherds Bush and brings the council’s spending on extra beat Police to more than £1 million for this year.

At the same time, Hammersmith Broadway will get a second new specialist team – codenamed Tyrol – to fight crime inside Hammersmith bus station. The two new teams means the town centre now has more than 25 extra police officers.

Two years ago H&F Council clubbed together with local businesses – like Westfield London – to pay for 24 hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week beat Bobbies in Fulham Broadway and Shepherds Bush Green. Crime has tumbled and no-go inner-city areas, like Shepherds Bush Green, have been reclaimed thanks to extra squads.

In the 18 months to November 2008, 975 arrests were made by local beat Bobbies in Fulham and Shepherds Bush town centres leading to 216 fewer victims of crime and more drug pushers and weapons off the streets. In Fulham ward priorities like domestic burglary and violence against the person are down 13 and 6 per cent respectively. In Shepherds Bush 168 more drug crimes have been detected, with robbery down 57 per cent and thefts from vehicles down 33 per cent.

Councillor Greg Smith, H&F Council Cabinet Member for Crime & Street Scene, says: “We have seen crime tumble in the two town centres with extra beat Bobbies. This combined with more traditional beat policing is the only way to tackle Britain’s growing epidemic of booze-fuelled town centre crime.”

Councils do not usually fund the Police, as this money is supposed to come from the Home Office, but the two squads have proved so successful in cracking down on crime that, from the first week of April, H&F Council is paying for a third extra squad - this time in Hammersmith.

“It is not the Police’s fault that there are not enough of them in our town centres. It is up to the Home Office to release our Bobbies from all the pointless and obstructive red tape they have to endure. If they did this then maybe council taxpayers might not have to foot this bill. The stats prove that our beat Policing trials have worked and they should now be rolled out across London as standard,” continues Cllr Smith.

While crime is falling, funding for the Police and residents’ satisfaction is rising in H&F. The £1.1 million H&F Council is spending on extra Beat Police is affordable as more than £13 million of red tape is being cut in 2009/10 and, in a recent survey, 12 per cent more respondents (64%) in Shepherds Bush Green and 6 per cent more in Fulham Broadway (67%) now believe the Police are doing a good job.

“Residents are positive in praising our groundbreaking backing for more beat Bobbies,” continues Cllr Smith. “Together with the Metropolitan Police we have examined the data and the two trials are now evolving into three, with a sharper focus on peak times when we know crime is more likely.”

The beat Bobbies will continue to work around the clock in Shepherds Bush and in Fulham and Hammersmith, as well as working during the day, they will focus on key night-time flashpoints - typically when pubs, clubs and other venues shut.

H&F Police Borough Commander, Detective Chief Superintendent Kevin Hurley said: “Having a permanent presence of foot patrol officers has paid dividends for the public in reducing offences like robbery and car crime. It has also resulted in a big increase in arrests for drug offences. I am now receiving many favourable comments from residents about how both these areas seem safer now - they are right, it is.

“Rough drinkers have been reduced and drug dealing is all but gone around these town centres. That is why we are so keen to work with the council to put yet more officers out on foot patrol - this time in the Hammersmith Broadway area.

“Year on year this borough is becoming safer, with all crime types dropping. I have no doubt that this additional visible patrolling presence will help keep driving crime down and making our streets more secure. It is good news for the people of Hammersmith and Fulham.”

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