Petition For More Police Reaches 500 Signatures

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Southfield councillors campaign as robberies in the area increase

The petition by Southfield councillors calling for replacements to the local police team has reached its target of 500 signatures.

Councillor Andrew Steed said the door-to-door campaign had been a success. Over the past year or so, the local police team had not replaced those who had left and the area was under-staffed.

Cllr Andrew Steed with the petition

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 petition will shortly be presented to the Metropolitan Police.

August 27, 2012