Petition For Extra Police Reaches 500 Signatures
Southfield councillors campaign as robberies in the area rise by 47.5%
Southfield Councillor Andrew Steed has announced that the petition to ensure the local police team is given its promised replacements, has reached its target of 500 signatures.
Councillor Steed said: “Over the past year or more, the local police team has not replaced those who have left and so we are commonly under staffed.
Cllr Andrew Steed with the petition
Local councillors in the ward (which covers much of the northern part of Chiswick) started the petition to get the local Safer Neighbourhoods team up to full strength. The Liberal Democrat team say the area was promised six officers.
The area has been under resourced for some time compared with the target and currently shares a sergeant with South Acton ward. Numbers published earlier this year showed that at one point the ward only had one officer assigned to it - only 8 other wards in London had fallen to such a low level.
Over the last 12 months (to July 2012), according to figures on the Metropolitan Police's web site, the rate of robbery has risen by 47.5% which brings it above the Borough average for Ealing which is unusual for a relatively quiet residential area.
The Met are currently reviewing how large the local Safer Neighbourhood teams are, as well as whether local police teams can be shared with other wards.
Councillor Andrew Steed said: “When burglaries are on the increase it is crucial that we have all six of the police team and a police sergeant that is looking out for our area. This will mean that the local police team can give more advice about how residents can reduce crime. Preventing crime is better than clearing up the mess afterwards.”
The petition will shortly be presented to the Metropolitan Police.
August 27, 2012