Law enforcement team

The LET seek to drive down environmental crime and anti-social behaviour to help keep H&F’s residents and visitors safe.

 

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Cllr Stephen Cowan, Leader of H&F (pictured right) on patrol with LET officers

Contact the law enforcement team

Email let.hf@lbhf.gov.uk 24/7 or call our Contact Centre on 020 8753 1100 and select option 3, Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.

On this page:

Meet the team

Our residents want a borough that is clean and tidy, where people can feel safe.

That is why in April 2021, H&F Council created the law enforcement team (LET), one of the largest such teams anywhere in Britain.

It is a unique group of men and women acting as the council’s eyes and ears as we seek to drive down environmental crime and anti-social behaviour.

The number one priority of the LET is to help keep H&F’s residents and visitors safe.

A group of LET officers.

  • How do I recognise the LET?

    LET officers are easily recognisable by their uniform – red tie, high-vis jacket and hat – which is worn at all times.

    LET officers always identify themselves as council officers through their H&F staff IDs and warrant cards.

    LET officers welcome your comments and suggestions or just say hello when you see us out and about.

    A group of LET officers in their uniform which consists of black trousers, white shirts, red tie, high vis vest with reflective grey and red checked band and hat with red and white checked band.

How does the LET work?

The service comprises 72 uniformed staff who patrol the borough day and night, 7 days a week.

There are dedicated LET officers for every ward in the borough, alongside a borough-wide night team and support team.

H&F’s LET officers have a broad range of enforcement powers and assist all emergency services and other council partners with a range of tasks.

They can:

  • obtain the name and address of offenders
  • deter any drink or drug use
  • patrol areas where drug dealing is suspected to provide a deterrent
  • issue fixed penalty notices for littering
  • tag abandoned bikes for removal
  • engage with and make referrals for rough sleepers or beggars
  • enforce by-laws and public space protection orders
  • support local businesses by being present and visible
  • lock major parks in the evening
  • enforce against anyone who has gained unauthorised access
  • manage cordons
  • attend, engage and support community events
  • and deter anti-social behaviour and environment crime in all parks, open spaces, town centres and housing land.

Find out more about what we do - Law Enforcement Team A-Z.

Watch the video: H&F Leader Cllr Stephen Cowan and the LET on the White City operation (youTube).

  • What are weapon sweeps and why are they necessary?

    Weapons sweeps are routine or targeted searches of particular areas like parks or housing ground, during which our officers search for any items that could be used to cause harm. This includes weapons like knives and guns but also makeshift weapons such as screwdrivers and metal poles.

    Officers will look under bushes, shrubbery or playground play equipment, using safety equipment to remove any weapons they come across safely.

    The items are placed in knife tubes and taken to the nearest police station to be logged, checked and destroyed.

    Watch BBC’s LET feature here.

    Want to request weapons sweep in your area? Please contact the LET by email on let.hf@lbhf.gov.uk.

    LET officers carrying out a weapons sweep by searching under bushes in a local park.

  • Does the LET tackle drug dealers?

    Drug dealing is a criminal offence and the remit of the Met Police. However, LET officers will patrol the areas where drug dealing is suspected to provide a deterrent.

    In addition, LET officers can compile evidence on their body cameras and share the images with the local police team to take further action.

    If you witness any drug related crimes, call 999 or report to Crimestoppers anonymously.

  • How does the LET deal with (potential) offenders?

    LET officers cannot detain offenders but work closely with our CCTV unit to monitor incidents and alert blue light services if they witness any criminal or anti-social activity.

    Once an offence is witnessed, LET officers can compile evidence on their body cameras and share information with the local police team to take further action.

The LET and the Metropolitan Police

LET officers work closely with the Met Police, but as a service are not the police.

H&F’s LET works proactively with all emergency services to get H&F’s residents and visitors the support they need – when they need it.

In an emergency, they can contact the police via H&F’s CCTV control room, who have a direct link to the police if they need assistance and vice versa. They are also in contact with the local Safer Neighbourhood Teams police wards and attend ward panels and residents meetings with them regularly.

The LET and local police regularly conduct joint patrols and pool their resources together to work smarter, coordinate patrol times and ensure better coverage at all times.

This collaborative approach enables the council to prevent, detect, crack down on and reduce local crime more quickly and effectively.

Read about the joint weapon sweep recently conducted at West Kensington estate in MyLondon.

Watch the video: Met Police work with Law Enforcement Officers to tackle crime in H&F (YouTube)

News and data from the LET

In 2023, H&F’s LET officers kept you safe by:

  • launching 5,704 investigations into residents’ reports of anti-social behaviour, fly tipping, unauthorised access into buildings, nuisance, etc
  • conducting 5,621 weapon sweeps
  • running 98,667 patrols across H&F.

Read more about what the LET has been doing:

LET in the news

How do I contact the LET?

The LET is divided into north, central and south teams, alongside a borough-wide control team and a night team. There are dedicated LET officers for every ward in the borough.

Residents can email us at let.hf@lbhf.gov.uk.

You can also call us on 020 8753 1100 and select option 3 to report issues for us to investigate.

Where you are witnessing a crime and, or where you require an immediate response for an emergency, always ring 999.

For anything else, residents can email their ward team directly:

North team

The north team covers:

Team leaders are Alfie Kerrigan and Ahmad Rafique.

Central team

The central team covers:

Team leaders are Michael Luca and Julius Onalaja.

South team

The south team covers:

Team leaders are Mason Mcilroy and Christopher Denning.

Night team

The night team covers the whole borough and is led by Emmanuel Danso and Travis Hill.

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Claire Willis talking to a member of the public.

  • What is the difference between the north, south, central and night teams?

    The north, central and south teams are responsible for geographic-based areas of work. The officers know their key ward residents, businesses and elected members.

    The night teams are borough-wide officers, responsible for:

    • supporting the ward teams
    • taking on priority tasks ward tasks and service requests in the night-time
    • supporting and leading on operations and being tasked to support ward officers with progressing cases.

Who is the LET funded by?

The LET is funded by H&F Council.

They form the most public facing part of the council’s record £5.6m a year investment in crime-fighting, which also includes a new first-of-its-kind Gangs Unit to tackle gang crime and protect young people.

We’re also investing £5.4million to improve and grow H&F’s network of CCTV cameras over the next five years, and recently launched a new locally focused strategy to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls.

VIDEO: H&F Leader Cllr Stephen Cowan talks about the Law Enforcement Team

If this video doesn't display, please enable statistics cookies or watch it on YouTube: H&F Leader Stephen Cowan talks about the LET.

  • Why was the LET created?

    We’ve deployed 72 LET officers onto the streets of H&F because we’re determined to do everything within our power to keep the people in our borough safe.

    Police funding is the responsibility of national and regional government.

    However, cuts in police numbers across H&F combined with rising crime rates, gang crime and the number of shocking high-profile attacks against women prompted H&F Council to take the unprecedented step of investing £5.6m a year to pay for crime fighting across the borough.

    As violent crime in the UK rose and police numbers across London declined, H&F’s LET came in as an important extra force.

    VIDEO: Introducing H&F’s Law Enforcement Team

    If this video doesn't display, please enable statistics or watch it on YouTube: Introducing H&F's Law Enforcement Team.

Law Enforcement Team Surgeries

The Law Enforcement Team are running surgeries in our libraries. Residents can raise problems or seek advice, particularly about antisocial behaviour, street cleansing or any other local issues. 

The surgeries run from 2pm to 4pm at the following libraries:

  • Shepherds Bush Library – 1st Monday of the month
  • Hammersmith Library – 2nd Monday of the month
  • Fulham Library – 3rd Monday of the month.

Frequently asked questions

Got any more questions about H&F’s LET officers? We’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions our residents have about the LET.

  • What are the working hours of the LET?

    Officers patrol the borough day and night, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

  • Can H&F residents engage with LET officers?

    Yes.

    Our LET officers have a supportive presence in the community. They’re the council’s eyes and ears keeping people safe and ambassadors for its increasing community engagement.

    A huge part of their role is to engage with residents to learn about their concerns and address local crime and anti-social behaviour.

    Working with residents, the LET can gather more local intelligence, such as location and time of day when offences occur.  This enables the team to deter crime and nuisance through more targeted patrols.

    A LET officer engages with two residents outside Hammersmith Tube Station

  • Does the LET patrol the parks?

    Yes, officers carry out borough-wide patrols including parks and open spaces.

    We have powers within the parks to enforce bye-laws and a duty to help keep the parks safe and welcoming places for everyone to enjoy.

    We work closely with the Metropolitan Police to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour problems in all H&F's parks and open spaces.

    Our duties in parks include:

    • high visibility uniform patrolling on foot, bicycle and vehicle
    • enforcing bye-laws and public space protection orders (PSPOs)
    • the prevention and detection of crime
    • dealing with anti-social behaviour
    • working with residents and stakeholders to problem-solve local issues quickly and effectively
    • security at events such as the Boat Race, council firework displays and Remembrance Day ceremonies
    • locking major parks in the evening.

    LET officers patrolling Wormwood Scrubs

  • What training do the LET officers undergo?

    All LET officers are Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS) trained.

    This training involves conflict management, health and safety, understanding our legislation and regulations and the powers given to the LET by the Police under this scheme.

    This Police accreditation enables officers to obtain the name and address of offenders and assist all blue light services with a range of tasks, including high visibility patrols and deterring anti-social behaviour and environmental crime within the borough. 

    LET officers are also trained:

    • to direct traffic
    • to work collaboratively with internal and external partners including the council’s Gangs Unit and CCTV team, as well as the police and Turning Point,
    • in investigation skills
    • in case preparation and court procedures
    • in statement writing.

    and received:

    • extensive training in identifying adult and children safeguarding issues and violence against women and girls
    • equality and diversity training
    • corporate health & safety training
    • GDPR and Data Protection training
    • radio and body-worn camera training

  • What is the benefit of CSAS accreditation?

    CSAS stands for Community Safety Accreditation Scheme.

    By gaining CSAS accreditation we will:

    • increase uniformed presence on the streets - CSAS accredited persons wear the uniform of their employing organisation, with an identification card endorsed by the local Police force
    • be able to address issues such as street drinking, begging and dog fouling
    • promote enhanced enforcement opportunities with the Police
    • improve the 2-way exchange of information and intelligence between agencies.

  • Will the LET be merging with civil enforcement officers (CEOs)?

    The service will not be doing the work of CEOs and issuing parking tickets. The role will be working in areas such as littering from vehicles, blue badge fraud and blue badge misuse.

  • How do officers get around the borough?

    While LET officers are routinely allocated to specific areas of the borough, they can be moved around quickly in response to incidents, sometimes by using one of the LET’s dedicated electric vehicles.

 

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