Agenda item

Joe Meares from the Police safer neighbourhood team (Brunswick Park and South Camberwell) provided the meeting with an update on policing and community safety matters. 

Staffing:

He reported that a new Met Police commissioner, Mr Bernard Hogan Howe had been appointed.  The commissioner has a wealth of experience and was previously at Merseyside Met Police.  The officer explained that he hoped the commissioner would have an opportunity to meet the residents of Southwark.

Chief Superintendent Wayne Chance has moved on to another constabulary and Chief Super Charles Griggs is now in post.

Policing issues:

Operation Hawk – officers are on the street making a presence which happens at least once a month.  Operation Big Wing - as part of a police initiative, officers are involved in visiting addresses of offenders across the borough wanted on warrant.  It also tracks offenders in and around London arranged by SNTs from other boroughs to visit the addresses.  Officers were involved in visiting licensed premises - alcohol and gambling.

Brunswick Park Ward priorities

• Provided crime prevention advice – ‘while you were out’ leaflets
• Burglary awareness
• Youth anti social behaviour on the housing estates – cold weather put youths off from gathering in the stairwells
• Youth engagement

South Camberwell Ward priorities - same as Brunswick Park ward priorities.

Camberwell Green Ward priorities

• Drugs and ASB on Poets Corner, Elmington Estate, SE5
• Increase in robberies on the Brandon Estate
• ASB on the Crawford Estate, which mostly gang related – SNTs are doing controls in relation to all of these priorities
• Street drinking – seen a reduction due to the cold weather, the community wardens and SNT have been working closely to tackle the problem

It was reported that Camberwell SNTs have had two PCSOs assigned to Balham Youth Court in Balham which has brought the number down to three PCSOs due to funding.  Joe Meares mentioned that Peckham was quite badly hit by the London Disorders the photos of those local wanted criminals were posted on the Met Police website.

A local resident and member of the youth community council spoke about kids gathering around estates and using their mobile phones asked if the SNT could convey that they could be a target for mobile theft.  The officer noted his comment.

The chair thanked the officer for his presentation.