To receive an update on local policing issues
Minutes:
Sgt. Moggridge - Neighbourhood Watch take up is not great over the whole borough. People are interested in belonging but not willing to run it and/or be a co-ordinator. Sgt. Moggridge suggested that people talked to their neighbours about it.
It would be a good idea to follow the Met Police on twitter @MPSEnfield. This will be the way forward for contact in the future. 999 calls show two tweets per shift - cars seized, cannabis detected etc.
Cllr. Savva commented on the lack of police numbers, but Sgt. Moggridge advised that since September there had been an increase in team numbers by 2 - now 1 Sergeant, 6 Pcs per ward. And 2 PCSO’s per ward. They would be out and about more, particularly in Haselbury ward. Officers were also less likely to be being taken off the ward for other duties and some responsibilities to be given back to other departments. From April 2015 there would be new shift patterns with more police working during daytime hours when people were about.
The new Inspector for the South Cluster - Andrew Port had started 2 weeks ago. Priorities were burglary and violence with injury. There has been a London wide increase in violence with injury, other areas being worse than Enfield. No obvious reason for this. It could be drug related but incidents are not normally at random but neighbour disputes etc
The Romanian camp has been removed. There are now some rough sleepers around Mothercare and by A406 under the bridge, but less than before.
Uniform and plain clothes patrols have been targeting the prostitution problem in Upper Edmonton in weekly operations and a large operation once a month. There have been a number of arrests.
Crime statistics from January 2014 to January 2015
Burglary
Edmonton Green down by 22.5% - 51 less
Haselbury - down by 7.6% - 11 less
Upper Edmonton - up by 23% - 41 extra
The increase in Upper Edmonton could be the result of burglars coming over from the Tottenham border, but the figure does include non residential burglaries. Upper Edmonton has a transient community.
Theft from motor vehicles
There has been a big reduction - borough wide a reduction of 1100 crimes
Edmonton Green down by 33.8% - 63 less
Haselbury down by 44.1% - 67 less
Upper Edmonton down by 55.6% - 252 less
Theft from person
Edmonton Green down by 28.2% - 20 less
Haselbury - increase of 33.3%
Upper Edmonton - down by 24.1% - 21 less
Robbery
Edmonton Green - increase of 17% - 20 extra
Haselbury increase of 33.3%
Upper Edmonton - 31 more incidents
Haselbury Road had been a problem with school pupils using alleyways and then having I-phones taken. - children using alleyways. The situation has now improved.
A resident asked about the number of residents in the Tamil temple. Sgt. Moggridge said that was not within his remit.
It was reported that a man was regularly seen walking along the Hertford Road from Edmonton Green onwards, openly drug dealing.
Re the Haselbury Road murder Sgt. Moggridge explained that a party had spilled out on to the street and the victim had gone to help. Arrests had been made and those responsible charged. Advice had been given out to local residents re party invitees.
A resident referred to people drinking or smoking cannabis in the street, this being a regular occurrence in Silver Street. Sgt. Moggridge stated that anyone under 18 smoking cannabis would be arrested, over 18 if for personal use, they would be given a caution. He advised that, should a strong smell of cannabis be noted coming a house, this should be reported to the Police.
A resident asked if there had been any change in police strategy due to situation in Europe - any contingency plans for Edmonton? Sgt. Moggridge was not aware of any specific changes, but that there were more mobile armed officers in the borough. Cllr. Savva urged residents to report any suspicious or unusual activity