Winning crime fighting projects announced: 2010 Safer London Problem Oriented Partnership Awards

12/10
22 February 2010

The winners of the 2010 Safer London Problem Oriented Partnership Awards, promoting safer communities across London and fighting criminal activity on the capital’s transport system, were announced today.

The annual awards reward successful crime fighting initiatives that are locally focused, responsive to people’s fears of crime and address the causes, not just the consequences, of criminal activity and highlight the best in problem orientated policing from across London.

All the projects are initiated and carried out in partnership between local police, the communities they serve, local authorities, the fire service and other agencies whose job it is to make communities safer.

Top prizes for the 2010 Safer London Problem Oriented Partnership awards:

• Safer Communities Award: Wandsworth: improving the lives of residents in Strathan Close, Putney.
• Safer Transport Award: Bexley: reducing the crime on the transport system.

The team from Wandsworth was presented with the Safer Communities prize of £7,500.

The team from Bexley received the Safer Transport prize, also £7,500.

Kit Malthouse, Chair designate of the MPA, said:

"It is vital that London’s police and the agencies they work with to help create safer neighbourhoods come together and use the powers at their disposal intelligently. Putting effective crime fighting initiatives into action and restoring public confidence in the Met and its partners are key strands of Met Forward, the MPA’s strategic plan to focus everyone involved on fighting and preventing crime.

“The annual Problem Oriented Partnerships showcase practical partnership work that has successfully impacted on local communities and travellers on the transport system, making a real difference to people’s daily lives. This year we had over thirty entries, eight of which were short listed and from which today’s winners have been chosen. The MPA extends its thanks to all those involved for their hard work and achievements, and extend our special congratulations to the winning teams from Wandsworth and Bexley.”

T/Inspector Neil Hutchinson, MPS Problem Solving Unit, said:

“The conference has been about building partnerships, using the expertise and skills of each partner to tackle local crime and to start thinking of ourselves as equal partners in a larger scheme. 

“This conference was called Problem Oriented Partnerships. To be ‘problem oriented’ means to be focused on or directed towards the problem. It means looking for and dealing with the issues that cause a problem and tackling them rather than constantly responding to the symptoms. The Metropolitan Police is investing a huge amount in our Safer Neighbourhoods programme because we believe that local policing is the only right and logical way forward. But making our neighbourhoods safer is not the sole job of the police. We all have an important part to play. "

Steve Burton, Director of Community Safety, Enforcement and Policing Directorate at TfL, said:

"TfL is pleased to be part of these awards and to have the opportunity to recognise initiatives which are improving transport and travelling 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. Congratulations to all of the winners who have achieved excellent result and who have made a real different to the quality of life of the communities they work in."

Notes to editors

1. Awards (formerly known as the ‘Problem Solving and Safer Travel Awards’) are a collaboration between the Metropolitan Police Authority, the Metropolitan Police Service, Transport for London and the Safer London Foundation (SLF).

2. The SLF is the Metropolitan Police Charity, whose aims are to reduce crime, promote community cohesion and develop safer neighbourhoods through innovative community led crime reduction projects.

3. The wining 2010 Safer London Problem Orientated Partnership award projects:

Winner of the Safer Communities award: Wandsworth, Improving the lives of residents in Strathan Close, Putney

The residents of Strathan Close were living with constant and frightening levels of anti-social behaviour by a gang of youths, ranging from threatening behaviour, small fires, climbing on garages, setting off fireworks, graffiti, throwing items into the road and riding motorcycles dangerously, to noise and general litter problems. Community engagement, research and analysis revealed a small group of ‘ring leaders’ who could be targeted. To foster a greater sense of security, a residents association and a neighbourhood watch were formed and a number of changes were made to the area including bollards around the garages and the removal of an enclosed area where the youths were congregating. An underpass heavily covered in graffiti was redecorated, better lighting was installed and rubbish cleared. The parents of offenders were contacted and became involved in the ABC and ASBO process. While Youth Offending Teams worked with each young person, Housing Officers reminded the families of their tenancy agreements and that anti-social behaviour itself could lead to legal action. Other offenders were enrolled into Youth Outreach projects. Residents have reported a noticeable difference in the atmosphere on the estate. As a measure of success, calls about ASB have dropped from an average of approximately one per day to just one per month.

Winner of the Safer Transport award: Bexley, Reducing the crime on the transport system

London bus companies, their staff and the public across Bexley had become the victims of escalating incidents of crime and disorder and associated visually intimidating damage: all top deck bus windows were so heavily damaged passengers could not see through them, while the fear of crime was increasing. In early 2007 Bexley Safer Transport Team (STT) was introduced to provide a high visible presence, reassure the public and deter offenders. Research of the daily Driver Incident Reports (DIR) identified criminal damage to the buses, fraud and forgery by young people and disturbance, predominately by young people, as the highest reported crimes, and identified the most problematic areas. The team identified key partners who could help to challenge this behaviour and a close working relationship was established with the Bustag unit. Between 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2009, bus related crime has fallen by 38%. Broadway bus related crimes have reduced by 53% over the same period, and by 2009 the public were reporting fewer complaints on the buses. Targeting offenders of criminal damage through effective partnership working was the key to success, achieving a more comfortable environment, while the presence of the team instilled confidence back in the community.

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