A week of intensified activity to drive out street violence targeted at women and girls is underway today across the Met’s Taskforce.
This activity, funded by the Home Office, is bespoke to areas where the Met has seen pockets of incidents where women and girls have been made to feel unsafe or have been victims of crime.
Action includes focused patrols in hotspot locations identified through intelligence; such as areas of night-time economy and outside school gates, engagement days at universities and schools, and operations targeting unlicensed taxi drivers and known, wanted violent and sexual offenders.
The Taskforce is a specialist branch of officers who bring unique skills to policing.
They work within public order situations, respond to disorder and work closely with borough officers across London helping them reduce crimes specific to areas, often focusing on tackling violent crime.
This surge in activity will be happening across London from Monday 6 – Sunday 12 December and will be supported by local policing officers as well as officers from specialist units.
Superintendent Jo Edwards, from the Met’s Taskforce, said: “These patrols are designed to root out those predatory offenders who target women and girls. We want to make those streets unsafe for those suspects and ensure they are locked up.
“The Taskforce as well as all officers are out every day working across this city to create a safe environment for women and girls to go about their daily lives without the fear of becoming victims.
“This week we’re planning on an uplift, to flood the capital with visible officers who will work to prevent crime and reassure those out and about.
“We know that women have concerns about feeling safe in London, tackling violence is of course our top priority, which includes violence that disproportionately affect women and girls.
“If you see officers at an event, please speak with them about any experiences or concerns you may have so we can support you and bring perpetrators to justice.”
