Successful crime fighting projects building safer communities across London: 2008 Problem Solving Awards

08/08
25 February 2008

The winners of the 2008 Problem Solving Awards, celebrating innovative projects to promote safer communities across London, were announced this afternoon.

Eleven projects to promote community safety across the capital were short listed for the top prizes.

For the first time there is also a separate category of award, the Safer Travel Problem Solving Award, contested by four projects.

2008 Problem Solving Award winners:

1st place:
Gascoigne Estate burglaries, Barking and Dagenham.

2nd place:
Anti-social behaviour by groups of youths on the Cleveland estate Bethnal Green, Tower Hamlets.

3rd place:
'Parklife' - combating disorder through partnership in Lower Morden, Merton.

Safer Travel Problem Solving Award winner:

1st place:
Criminal damage to buses in Fullwell, Redbridge.

The winner of the Problem Solving Award was presented with a cheque for £10,000.

The winner of the Safer Travel Award received a cheque for £5,000.

The Problem Solving Award, a collaboration between the Metropolitan Police Authority, Metropolitan Police Service and the Safer London Foundation, celebrates initiatives that develop problem oriented policing techniques - in essence projects that are responsive to local needs, are people focused and address the causes of crime, not just the consequences. The projects are conceived and put into practice in partnership between local police and communities.

The Safer Travel Award, sponsored by Transport for London, is about recognising excellence in problem-oriented policing and innovative approaches to further improving safety and security on London's public transport system.

Presenting the 2008 Problem Solving Award, Cindy Butts, Deputy Chair of the MPA, said:

"The Metropolitan Police Authority is once again delighted to see so many effective projects that have had such positive results in the local community. I offer my congratulations to everyone who entered their projects but especially to the winners who have set a high standard for next year's entrants to be judged by.

"The Authority firmly believes the problem oriented approach to policing makes a significant contribution to reducing criminality and anti-social behaviour at the local level and helps to achieve our aims of reducing the fear of crime and making our communities safer environments to live and work in."

Tony Shepherd, Chief Executive of the Safer London Foundation, said:

"The Foundation is pleased to once again be a partner in the Safer London Problem Solving Awards. This year there has been a large number of high quality, innovative applications and selecting the winners has been a difficult task. Clearly the problem solving approach to policing is now being undertaken in many areas of London and is making a significant contribution to contemporary policing in the Capital."

Tim Godwin, Assistant Commissioner Territorial Policing, Metropolitan Police Service, said:

"I am very pleased to be involved with these awards. The winners deserve every credit. Their determination, focus and partnership approach have resulted in some excellent examples of the work that is going on across London to address the fear of crime and issues of community safety and reflects the MPS' commitment to safer neighbourhood teams and problem solving policing."

Presenting the Safer Travel Problem Solving Award, Jeroen Weimar, Chief Operating Officer (Enforcement and Compliance), Surface Transport, Transport for London, said:

"TfL is pleased to be part of these awards and to have the opportunity to recognise initiatives which are improving the travelling experiences of everyone who uses public transport in London. The problem-solving approach to dealing with crime and disorder issues on and around the public transport network can produce brilliant results and plays a vital role in reducing the fear of crime."

Notes to editors

1. Inaugurated in January 2006, the Problem Solving Awards recognise the achievements of partnership projects between the police and local communities to reduce crime and disorder. The awards are a collaboration between the Metropolitan Police Authority, the Metropolitan Police Service and the Safer London Foundation, the independent charity that aims to reduce crime, promote community cohesion and develop safer neighbourhoods through innovative community led crime reduction projects.

2008 Problem Solving Award winning projects:

2. 1st place:
GASCOIGNE ESTATE BURGLARIES:
Barking and Dagenham

The Gascoigne Estate was having particular problems with Burglary. Some residents had been burgled as many as five times in the previous 12 months - particularly ground floor flats.

It was discovered that the windows of these flats had numerous weaknesses relating to the locking. Due to lack of community engagement and fear, the residents were unwilling to come forward against the offenders, who in turn took advantage of this situation.

In order to reduce Burglary within the estate, make the estate a safer and cleaner place to live, and to build community engagement, various measures were enacted, including;

• High visibility policing.
• Increasing community involvement in community safety and young people schemes
• Crime prevention work including the installation of new window locks.
• Cleaning teams assigned to remove graffiti and domestic/bulk refuse.

As a result there was a 75% reduction in residential burglary in the three months February to April 2007 compared to the previous three month period (November 2006 to January 2007). This significant trend of burglary reduction has continued. Residents are more forthcoming in reporting crimes, and there is a positive turnaround in residents' perception and understanding of community engagement.

2nd place:
ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR BY GROUPS OF YOUTHS ON THE CLEVELAND ESTATE BETHNAL GREEN:
Tower Hamlets

In March 2005 the Bethnal Green South Safer Neighbourhoods team (SNT) began a problem solving process to address the twin aims of reducing anti-social behaviour and fear of crime among residents on the Cleveland estate in east London. As the SNT worked with partners and interacted with the young people on the estate it became apparent that there were several underlying community cohesion issues that needed to be addressed. Levels of mistrust between young people and the elderly on the estate, and between young people and the police, were high.

In response the SNT and their partners held a 'World Café' event, which brought the residents together and enabled them to bring issues of concern into the open. To demonstrate their commitment to improving their relationships with young people on the estate, the SNT suspended work on Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) and Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC) applications.

In January 2006 the police and young people took part in mediation sessions to progress the initiative. A number of these young people began training in community development and some went on to become peer youth workers. The partnership commissioned a community film project to record and publicise the commitment of those living and working on the estate to work together to improve their environment.

This innovative approach to tackling the causes of anti-social behaviour and improving community cohesion has been enormously successful. Between January 2005 and March 2007, recorded crime on the estate fell 49%. The proportion of residents who considered youth-related anti-social behaviour to be a serious problem fell from 100% in August 2005 to 36% in March 2006, and some individuals previously identified as instigators of anti-social behaviour on the estate have become peer youth workers.

3rd place:
'PARKLIFE' - COMBATING DISORDER THROUGH PARTNERSHIP IN LOWER MORDEN:
Merton

Analysis of Merton's 2005 Annual Residents' Survey identified the Lower Morden ward as having the highest fear of crime in the borough. A consultation exercise to find the cause pointed the finger squarely at King George's Playing Field, a park situated in the centre of the ward, whose broken down fence allowed access to the park via open, privately-owned alleyways. There was increasing youth disorder in the park and in the streets around it, as it had become a focus for the gathering of local youths to drink and smoke. The quiet residential streets in the vicinity became awash with graffiti and a park ranger living in a tied house in the park was subject to frightening victimisation.

In response, funding was acquired to replace the fence for the 1.5km perimeter of the park with a 5m high ultra-modern version. Resident Action Groups were formed around existing Neighbourhood Watches and alley gates installed. These resident groups were given incident diaries in which to record anti-social behaviour, as there was an issue with under-reporting. Intelligence gathered from these diaries led to the identification of a cannabis factory next to the park, which was selling drugs to the young people in the park. This was raided and an arrest was made.

Diversion and engagement of the youths in the park took place, led by the Safer Neighbourhoods police team but with assistance from youth outreach workers, and 'Reclaim the Park' events took place, including several youth football tournaments organised by the local police team.

Fear of crime in the ward dropped: in 2005 75% expressed concern about crime, compared to 58% in 2007; calls to police in the park or its perimeter dropped by 34%; and graffiti callouts to the park dropped by 39%.

Safer Travel Problem Solving Award winning project:

3. CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO BUSES IN FULLWELL:
Redbridge

Fullwell Safer Neighbourhoods team led a project designed to address the disproportionate levels of criminal damage to buses on Route 169 in the ward. This crime trend caused considerable concern because public transport was the only available method of travel for a large proportion of the local community.

The main objective of this project was to address this issue on a long-term basis, and in doing so prevent further bus service withdrawals, whilst also improving safety for bus drivers and members of the public. It was hoped that during, and as a direct result of the initiative, good working relationships would be built with all the partner agencies involved.

A multi-agency partnership was created which implemented several measure including: reglazing the bus shelter; replacing the paving and improving lighting in the area; and tackling the offending behaviour of those believed responsible by way of education as well as enforcement.

The project achieved all of its objectives: dramatically reduced crime levels on the Route 169; improved public confidence in the police and public transport; reduced fear of crime; and excellent professional partnerships.

4. The MPA Scrutiny on Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs), published in January 2003, included a recommendation to develop the use of problem oriented policing across London (Recommendation 28:The MPA recommends the problem oriented policing model as good practice for boroughs and CDRPs. It recommends that the MPS evaluate how the model works in those boroughs where it has been implemented and considers how it can be developed for use in all London boroughs). The scrutiny report is available at: www.mpa.gov.uk/reports/cdrpscrutiny.htm

5. Formed in 2005, the Safer London Foundation helps to reduce crime in London by supporting and funding innovative community-based crime reduction projects. It works in partnership with the police, government and business to make London's neighbourhoods safer places to live, work and visit. SLF corporate volunteers and mentors work across the capital's diverse communities, providing a unique and valuable link between the people of London and its businesses. More information about the Safer London Foundation is available at: www.saferlondonfoundation.org.uk

Further media information

For further information, please contact the MPA press office 

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback