Agenda item
In-depth Review of Local Area Agreement Priorities: Priority 1 - Crime Prevention 18-28 Age Group and Priority 3 - Violent Crime
Community Safety Units were set up to deliver the Crime and Disorder Reduction Act 1998. This act made statutory what many authorities were already doing, namely working in partnership to increase community confidence by cutting crime and by curbing Antisocial Behaviour. Research had shown that where the Local Authority, Police, Probation and other public and voluntary sector organisations worked together, much better results were obtained. These studies highlighted that all the agencies were working with predominantly the same people in the same geographical areas.
Minutes:
The Chair welcomed Mark Toland (Borough Commander, Brent Police) to the meeting who gave a presentation on this item. Mark Toland began by stating that Brent was classified as a trident borough which meant the police specifically targeted the high incidences of shootings and murders amongst black members of the community. Some areas of the borough had high levels of deprivation and although it was one of the most ethnically diverse boroughs in the UK, race crime levels were relatively low. He then provided Members with some crime statistics in Brent, including:-
· 12% of all crime committed was classified as violent crime, including robberies and serious violence
· Total recorded offences committed was 27,193 in 2008/09, compared to 35,582 in 2004/05
· 1,680 robberies recorded in 2008/09, compared with 2,084 in 2004/05
· 3,075 incidences of vehicle crime in 2008/2009, compared with 4,209 in 2004/05
· 83 incidences of gun crime in 2008/09, compared with 164 in 2006/07
· 502 incidences of knife crime in 2008/09, compared with 526 in 2006/07
Mark Toland commented that the statistics had shown that crime overall had been falling in Brent over the last five years, however confidence in the police remained low at 28%, the lowest of all London boroughs. The police were undertaking a number of initiatives to improve their image and help prevent crime amongst young adults. This included visiting schools and tackling anti-social behaviour on buses and improving relationships with the local and national press. The police had also agreed a Joint Community Safety Strategy with the Council and its partners. Mark Toland then highlighted some of the police’s achievements, such as the ‘Not Another Drop’ against knife crime campaign, the Safer Neighbourhoods scheme and successful operations involving residents in Stonebridge, South Kilburn and Harlesden which had led to better relations with the community. He added that following a complaint from the Hillside Housing Association, 23 arrests had been made in relation to drug dealing activities. A similar operation in Church End had resulted in 36 arrests.
Mark Toland then focused on initiatives to tackle crime in future, stating that one of the areas of concern was the need to address the 15% rise in burglaries Brent, an upward trend experienced by most London boroughs. The Select Committee heard that a Hub Team had been set up to patrol Wembley Central and worked closely with the British Transport Police, whilst a Team also specifically covered Harlesden Town Centre. From January 2010, a series of road shows were also planned to inform the community of the police’s activities, with venues such as schools and churches being used in order to reach large audiences. A mail-out of dvds to residents containing information about the police was also being considered. In order to ensure maximum use of resources, single patrols would be allocated to places where appropriate. A pledge would also be launched, detailing what service the police would provide and when they would be expected to respond to the various categories of crime.
Mark Toland concluded that although the last four years had seen a downward trend in crime, initial statistics for 2009/10 had witnessed a rise, however he was confident that this would be addressed by the end of year, with an emphasis on tacking the rise in burglaries. He stressed the role of the public of informing the police of any suspicious activity.
Gerry Renard (Interim Head of Community Safety Team) also addressed Members. The Select Committee heard that Priority 1 of the Local Area Agreement (LAA) was prevention of crime amongst 18-25 year olds, with crime ranging from petty crime to higher end offences or serious acquisitive crime. Gerry Renard advised that achieving a fourth annual successive reduction in robberies for 2009/10 was unlikely because of the rise in this type of crime earlier in the year, whilst vehicle theft remained low. Members heard that two successful drugs operations, Ladden and Soto had resulted in a number of arrests of front line and higher level drug dealers. Gerry Renard then explained that Priority 3, crime involving the most serious violence and assault with injury, was the other crime-related LAA priority and this included incidences of domestic violence. Crimes of this type had risen year by year since 2006/07 and this was partly attributable to increased reporting of domestic violence as a result of greater confidence in police response. Members noted that the police had formed a Domestic Violence Squad and this area received support from magistrates through the setting-up of a domestic violence court and support from voluntary sector organisations.
Gerry Renard continued by informing Members of a ‘Three Strikes and You’re Out’ initiative by Brent Transport Police, where upon youths would have their oyster card removed and their parents informed if they had committed three anti-social acts on public transport. The Anti-Social Behaviour Team had played a role in the closure of premises of anti-social behaviour, including drug-related activities. The Select Committee heard that Tesco’s and Ikea had been approached with regard to the possibility of sponsoring police dvds.
During discussion by Members, Councillor Van Kalwala asked how funds were accurately targeted at youth offenders and what measures were being undertaken to address the underlying reasons for crime committed by young people. He also enquired how police were being informed of incidences of gun and knife crime. Councillor H B Patel welcomed the progress in crime reduction overall and stressed the need to improve the police’s public perception and provide information of what the police did, adding that many residents were unsure of what action the police could take and of the speediness of their response to a call. He enquired if consideration was being given to introducing curfews for young persons in particular areas that were regarded as hotspots of anti-social behaviour. It was also asked whether police provided information of their activities in Brent Magazine. Councillor Mendoza enquired if there was a crime prevention and engagement strategy and what areas had been identified as trouble spots.
The Chair commented that residents of an estate in South Kilburn seemed much more relaxed following a recently successful police operation in the area, although there was concern that the problems would return once the perpetrators were released from prison. He cited a project in Wales which removed troubled families from their present environment to provide them with the opportunity to help themselves. The cost of moving a family was approximately £39,000 a year, whilst for a single child to go into care the cost was approximately £40,000 a year. The Chair sought reasons for the rise in burglaries and fall in robberies and further details with regard to the rise in most serious violence incidents. He asked what measures were being undertaken to prevent drug use amongst young people. The Chair informed Members that he had observed safety of children on buses to be an issue during a recent visit to Kingsbury High School and he asked what scope there was for organisations such as the Safer Neighbourhood Team to work with schools to address this issue. Details of what action to improve interaction with young Afro-Caribbean males was sought. The Chair also commented that it would be useful to have a more systematic reporting of drug prevention initiatives to councillors and the community as a whole.
In reply to the issues raised, Mark Toland advised Members that many of those arrested during the South Kilburn operation were not from the area and he concurred that the residents on the estate seemed much happier. He explained that there were a number of initiatives to prevent youth crime, such as visiting schools, mediation projects, a volunteer cadet scheme and police officers engaging in sporting activities with young people. Members heard that the NHS in Strathclyde were taking a leading role in a Family Intervention Programme which identified families whose children had been involved in crime and such a measure could be considered for Brent in the future. Mark Toland stated that the relevant agencies shared information which facilitated identifying young offenders, although only a small proportion were committing serious offences. However, he stressed the need to address such behaviour amongst young people at an early stage.
Mark Toland advised that there were no proposals for curfews, however there were some dispersal areas that applied to young people where anti-social behaviour was a problem and such behaviour could be reported to the child’s parents. Safer Neighbourhood Teams visited approximately 1,000 addresses within a ward and a possible future measure could include ‘Street Week Initiative’ where a particular street is allocated to be visited during a given week. Mark Toland advised that one of the reasons that burglary might be on the increase, and street robbery on the decrease, is that it did not involve the risks of being identified that robbery involved. The increased incidents of stop and search in Brent also discouraged robbers. The Select Committee was advised that a change in definition of most serious violence was partly attributable to the rise in such incidents, as well as there being more reported incidents of domestic violence as a result of increased confidence in reporting such crimes to the police.
To assist drug use prevention in young people, Mark Toland explained that street robbers were drug tested when arrested and referred to drug referral workers if they tested positive, whilst an operation concerning rough sleepers in the borough also investigated possible drug use. Members noted that it was a big challenge keeping those who had been referred in drug treatment and that drug taking involved those from all socio-economic backgrounds and ages. Mark Toland advised that the Police Advisory Group worked with school headteachers to address safety of children on buses. A number of initiatives were being used to improve police communication with ethnic minorities, including interaction through sporting activities and improved relations with young people in Stonebridge. Mark Toland suggested that Brent could consider a scheme run by Southwark Police involving role playing in stop and search dvds. Significant funding had been allocated to preventative and engagement measures and a meeting with partners was taking place on 15th December 2009 to discuss such matters further. Members heard that young people were particularly vulnerable to being targeted for recruitment by gangs and this was an area of concern that needed to be taken into account. Mark Toland advised that crime could be reported to the police in various ways, including by telephone, e-mail and text and that any other suggestions for reporting crime were welcomed. Members also heard that councillors could make statements on behalf of residents with regard to anti-social behaviour and that articles regularly appeared in Brent Magazine updating residents on police activities.
Gerry Renard added that it was intended to extend the Family Intervention Programme in Brent and to acquire more case workers. The programme identified social landlords who agreed to accommodate families so that they could move from their present location. The Youth Offending Team also undertook a lot of work targeting young people who were in trouble. Stalls were also set up in streets to explain to parents the risks and signs of being involved in drug related activities for young people.
The Chair thanked Mark Toland and Gerry Renard for the presentation.
Supporting documents:
- LAA priorities, item 4. PDF 97 KB
- LAA priorties 2, item 4. PDF 108 KB
- LAA priorities app 1, item 4. PDF 119 KB
- LAA priorities app 2, item 4. PDF 1 MB