Liberal Democrats to put more police on Islington's streets

10.30.37am GMT Wed 28th Oct 2009

Council leader Terry Stacy meeting with the police officers the council has funded to work in all the borough's schools.

Islington will soon have an extra eleven police officers keeping the streets safe after Liberal Democrat councillors agreed a one-off cash injection to boost local policing.

Crime and anti-social behaviour are among residents' top concerns in Islington. Crime is falling in Islington thanks to measures agreed by the Liberal Democrat council over the last five years in partnership with the police such as:

• 7 council-funded police officers for crime hotspots in the north of the borough

• 16 council-funded police officers - 1 for each Safer Neighbourhood Team

• 16 council-funded police officers working in all the borough's schools

• knife wands for police officers and new CCTV schemes

• funding for youth activities, summer activities and new play areas in parks

• ASBOs, dispersal orders in problem areas, Acceptable Behaviour Contracts and evictions and tenancy enforcement against tenants causing nuisance and anti-social behaviour

Seven new police officers will provide extra cover for the south of the borough at weekends and in the evenings when most crime and anti-social behaviour occurs. The new police officer priorities will be set by residents and they will concentrate on neighbourhood policing not other police operations.

The extra funding will also pay for four additional officers to support residents' community safety priorities such as promoting the community payback scheme (where perpetrators make good the damage they have caused), organising crime fighting courses and supporting victims of crime and witnesses going to court.

Islington Liberal Democrat council leader Terry Stacy said:

"Crime is falling in Islington. But Liberal Democrats understand that our residents want to feel safer on our streets and estates. Fear of crime is something we must tackle too.

"That's why Liberal Democrats are putting an extra seven police officers on the streets of Islington along with four extra neighbourhood officers to support victims and witnesses to make sure more criminals are brought to justice."

The new police team will be made up of one sergeant and six constables.

The extra officers will focus on activities such as crack house closures, policing dispersal zones, providing extra visible policing and tackling specific issues identified by residents such as drug dealing on estates.