Safer Neighbourhoods in action

Thursday August 12, 2010

After 11 years pounding the streets as a policeman, Met Police Sgt Steve Lemon knows when he’s getting the job done.

And in Fulham Broadway, he says the police are winning the war against criminal youths.

Serving as a member of the Fulham Broadway Safer Neighbourhoods Team (SNT), Steve, 35, is focused on cracking down on antisocial behaviour by groups of youths.

“The key to preventing youth crime is getting through to the youngsters at an early age,” Steve said.

“When kids are about 14 or 15, you find that they don’t want to engage in the activities that are out there – and there is actually a lot to do.

“Quite often they’d prefer to hang around with their friends in the street and some people can find that intimidating. We’ve seen an increase in youths causing trouble on the Peabody Estate in Lillie Road and we’re thinking about creating a dispersal zone to help.”

Last year, a dispersal zone was set up in nearby Seagrave Road, after residents complained about a large group of about 50 youths meeting there.

Steve’s team worked closely with the council, H&F Homes and concerned residents, who would call the police to tell them when the group had congregated and to move the youths on.

“The problem we saw was that some went from being boisterous and loud to being antisocial and then damaging cars by ‘keying’ them, and throwing stones. But giving youngsters other opportunities is also part of his role as a local officer.

“Diverting these youths into activities such as the Kickz project can really help,” Steve said. “Youngsters get to understand the responsibility of being in a team, being part of a group where you can’t just do what you want, and it’s somewhere to focus all their energy.

“A few of the older kids have become coaches and got jobs and they had been on the fringes of criminality.”

As well as being heavily involved in the football Kickz programme with Chelsea and Fulham football clubs, Steve and his team are currently looking at setting up a youth club on the Clem Attlee estate.

They are working with H&F Homes, the tenants and residents’ association and Fulham FC to bring that about, as a way of stopping crime before it even happens.

There are three enhanced SNTs in the borough funded by extra cash from the council, consisting of one sergeant, three constables and two community support officers who report to an inspector.

An SNT would normally have one sergeant, two PCs and three community support officers.

“Speaking to people you get the feeling that they are incredibly proud to have their own police team.”

And it is the average local resident that Steve claims is the key to 21st century beat policing.

“We have a ward panel, which is made up of people who live locally, and meet three to four times a year,” Steve said. “We are always looking for new members and anyone can sit on it. We report to the panel in these meetings about what is happening in the area, and it’s up to them what our priorities should be – it’s totally their decision.”

Steve, a keen cyclist and runner who is already training for next year’s London marathon, says that his job on the beat is ‘totally different’ to any other policing. “It has its challenges but I get to work with so many different people. And when someone says thank you, it feels great.”

The next community drop-in surgery in Cafe Nero, 480 Fulham Road, is August 15, 3-4pm.

Drop-in surgeries are held every Monday and Friday, from 8.30-9.30pm, at the community centre in Len Freeman Place, on the Clem Attlee estate.

To contact the Fulham SNT, call 020 8246 2302 or email: FulhamBroadway.snt@met.police.uk