24/7 beat policing trial in west London

by Hammersmith and Fulham Press Office
15/03/2007

A team of more than 30 hand picked beat officers will start patrolling the streets of Fulham and Shepherds Bush from early April to drive the yobs, thieves and muggers out of town.

The new crack team will be unveiled at a Crime Summit in Hammersmith Town Hall on 24 March.

“Fulham has a 24/7 economy with 24/7 criminals to match,” says Councillor Greg Smith, Hammersmith & Fulham cabinet member for crime and architect of the scheme.

“Residents want protection and they want it round the clock and now, working with the Met, we are the first council in the UK to provide police with funding to put local patrols on the streets, day and night, every day of the year.”

Local residents and businesses are hailing the move as a master stroke.

Michael Wallace from the Oswald Stoll Mansions Residents’ Association in Fulham says, “We’re all 100% behind this idea. We get a lot of problems around here in the early hours of the morning. Some people are frightened to leave their homes because of the gangs and drunks around the place. Hopefully the 24/7 neighbourhood policing will stop the rowdiness.” 

H&F Council is pumping in £1.5 million over two years to pay for the patrols in the two town centres. Each team will have a dedicated and accountable police inspector managing five sergeants, 10 police constables and 15 police community support officers.

Borough Commander Heather Valentine, who has been given the job of making the scheme work on the ground, says, “I am relishing this unique opportunity to trial 24/7 community-based policing. “I am looking forward to turning the vision of round the clock Safer Neighbourhood policing into a reality.”

The groundbreaking scheme will be closely watched by other councils as well as Whitehall. Councillor Smith concludes, “Residents are now getting a more visible, local uniformed presence 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – just like they have in New York and Chicago. This is a genuinely groundbreaking approach to crime and anti-social behaviour in London.” 

Guests including Nick Herbert MP, Shadow Minister for Police Reform, will be speaking at the Crime Summit. 

If you would like to attend and have your say on crime and policing in your neighbourhood call 020 8753 2152 or email tamara.gray@lbhf.gov.uk. Please register early as places are limited.