Safer Neighbourhoods Officers in Shepherd’s Bush have been named the best in London for local policing.
Shepherd’s Bush Green Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) has won the prestigious ‘SNT of the Year’ award.
Metropolitan Police Chief, Bernard Hogan-Howe, presented the award to one of the only teams which is directly funded by its council, Hammersmith and Fulham.
Approximately £1.3million a year of local authority money is given to the team, which covers the busiest ward in the area, containing Westfield Shopping Centre and the BBC Television Centre.
Between July and November 2011 the team managed to make 497 arrests, 1,487 stop and searches and investigated 444 crimes, all contributing to a reduction of crime in their most priority areas.
Singular arrests have not been the only focus of the SNT, as the squad has also worked with the council to close down badly-managed shisha cafes that were attracting late-night anti-social behaviour.
Anti-social behaviour has been a problem that has blighted Shepherd’s Bush over recent years and a zero-tolerance approach from the local SNT has been popular with residents.
Another method of policing is the introduction of dispersal zones in certain areas of Shepherd’s Bush.
Within these areas police have the authority to ask groups of two or more to disperse and ask non-residents to completely leave the zone.
Councillor Greg Smith, Hammersmith & Fulham Council Cabinet Member for Residents Services, said: “This accolade means that Shepherds Bush is now the best policed town in London.
“It is a proven fact that beat bobbies beat crime and, despite the nationwide spending squeeze, we have found a way to improve our town centre squads.”
Hammersmith’s SNT figures coincide with recently released figures showing that only two of Merton’s 20 teams are at full strength whilst 44 out of a total 120 posts are currently vacant.
