Landmark partnership puts Met officers closer to communities

A landmark agreement with a housing developer and a London local authority will bring frontline officers closer to communities as part of the Met's focus on neighbourhood policing.

The opening of the Kidbrooke Village Community Police Hub provides local officers with a dedicated base to enhance their response to issues that matter most in the area.

The space was jointly funded by Berkeley Homes, the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the Met, demonstrating how businesses and other agencies can work together to improve community safety at a time when budgets are stretched.

Up to 24 officers covering six wards will be stationed at the hub which puts them closer to the areas they serve and will help the Met build on reductions in theft, burglary, robbery, anti-social behaviour and retail crime across London.

Six neighbourhood teams will now be within a 20-minute walk of their wards. A further two will be based nearer to the areas they serve. They were previously spread between bases in Mottingham, Sidcup and Woolwich – which are both at least 20 minutes away by car.

The hub was formally opened by Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes on Tuesday, 15 July.

Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes said:

"Across the Met we are focused on tackling the crimes that matter most to Londoners and we have made significant progress in reducing neighbourhood crime – with a 19 per cent reduction in offences since April.

“House building is important for London – but as the city grows it inevitably puts extra pressure on local policing teams at a time when we’re having to make tough choices.

“Working closely with councils and developers will be key to ensuring more officers can be based near to the areas they serve – and I’d like to thank Berkeley Homes and the Royal Borough of Greenwich for their support in ensuring our teams remain at the heart of their communities.”

Councillor Anthony Okereke, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, said:

"We've invested, alongside Berkeley Homes and the police, to bring a new police base to Kidbrooke. This means more police on our streets, supporting the community and understanding the patch. They’ll be able to respond quicker and be more of a presence, which we know residents really care about. This investment is part of our wider work to make sure Greenwich is kept safe."

Councillor Rachel Taggart-Ryan, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Enforcement, said:

“We know how much residents care about having local police in their communities, available to respond to calls and get on the scene quickly. That's why, along with our partners, we've put funding into making this a reality in Kidbrooke, a growing area that more and more people are calling home. This is part of our wider work to target area specific crime like anti-social behaviour and theft, and we're so pleased to see it open."

Paul Pritchard, Berkeley’s Development Director, said:

“Berkeley would like to thank those involved in the opening of the new Community Policing Hub at Kidbrooke Village, from the Met Police, our local MP, the Mayor of Greenwich, councillors, officers, representatives from our local schools, and other key residents and stakeholders from the community.

“After the closure of many facilities, it is a tribute to all who have helped ensure we have been able to open this new facility. We look forward to the Met’s presence once again, helping to reinforce a safer neighbourhood for Kidbrooke and the wider area and further strengthening this already resilient and sustainable community.”

Police buildings are an important part of the fabric of London underpinning all Met activity and offering reassurance, functionality and a constant presence for communities in an ever-changing city.

Our estate also needs to adapt to the changing nature of policing. To meet the needs of Londoners, it is imperative to have good quality buildings, where there are not leaking roofs and crumbling walls, in the right locations close to communities, and ones which are as reasonably accessible for victims as possible.

The Met’s relentless focus on driving down crimes that matter most to the public in first six weeks of this financial year has seen promising reductions in a number of crime types compared to the same period last year across London: