feature: Tackling crime together
15 October 2008
Working together is the way to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.
We talk to new Haringey police commander Dave Grant and Cllr Nilgun Canver, cabinet member for enforcement and safer communities, about the borough’s Safer Communities Partnership.
Commander Grant
What are your top priorities in the borough?
In the Safer Communities Partnership our priorities are reducing youth involvement in crime, tackling theft, burglary and serious violent crime. These three cover many of the serious crimes that concern residents and are where we will target our efforts.
There has been a drop in violent crime and robbery in Haringey. Why do you think this has happened?
Our Q cars have proved very successful at catching robbers. The robbery squad has also solved more robberies than any London borough, with personal robbery down by 30 per cent and 43 per cent of serious violent crimes being solved, making us one of the capitals best performers.
I can assure everyone that I, together with all my staff, am committed to reducing crime while striving to provide an even better service to victims.
Can you tell us three practical things you are doing to contribute to community safety in Haringey?
Operation Blunt 2 to tackle knife crime involves a range of activity including stop and search operations, robust enforcement and speaking with young people. Since May we have charged 97 people with knife related offences and have taken more than 80 knives off the streets of Haringey.
The Safer Neighbourhood Teams are key to tackling crime, the fear of crime and the effects of antisocial behaviour. They are well known in their wards and are great at gathering information and dealing swiftly with issues of concern to residents.
The Emergency Response Teams and the CID Units deal with serious and traumatic incidents and are solving more crimes more quickly than ever before.
What one change would most help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in the borough?
The causes of crime are complex and complicated, as are the solutions. No organisation can tackle this matter alone and by continuing to work in partnership we can have a far greater impact.
What can be done to improve the diversity of the police and court services in Haringey?
|Back to topWe now have a far more diverse police service but we still have work to do to attract high calibre staff from all our communities. I love being in the police and I would encourage anyone who is interested to consider it as a career.
Cllr Canver
What are your top priorities for reducing crime and anti-social behaviour in the borough?
We work to stop persistent anti-social behaviour, drugs and alcohol misuse and re-offending, particularly by young people. More help is available to tackle these problems and we have a variety of programmes to help divert young people away from crime. We will also continue to lead the way on tackling domestic violence with our innovative Hearthstone Centre.
There has been a drop in violent crime and robbery in Haringey. Why do you think this has happened?
On the council’s side one reason might be our work with young offenders and their families. Young people are diverted away from crime to a whole variety of activities ranging from sports to anger management classes. We also emphasise engaging with communities to communicate anti-crime messages.
Can you tell us three practical things you are doing to contribute to community safety in Haringey?
Our Anti-Social Behaviour Action Team works with the police and others to tackle specific problems such as the closure of crack houses or serious antisocial behaviour in our neighbourhoods. They also work with parents to help them deal better with their children.
We are expanding Hearthstone, our domestic violence advice and support centre, to enable it to deal with more people and offer legal, housing and educational support all under one roof.
We know rubbish dumping, abandoned cars, graffiti and general vandalism in a neighbourhood can attract crime. We therefore work with our enforcement team to clear rubbish, eyesores and street waste and prosecute offenders.
We have invested in dealing with noise nuisance better and protect our residents from counterfeit goods or non healthy food establishments.
What one change do you think would most help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in the borough?
Partnership working is essential, using the expertise, skills and services of the council, the police, courts, health, the fire service, voluntary organizations and our diverse communities themselves.
This means we can try to address the causes of crime, support families, and also back judicious policing and sentencing.
What can be done to improve the diversity of the police force and the court service in Haringey?
|Back to topIn Haringey the courts are working hard to recruit magistrates from all communities. The council fully supports this campaign.
Fact file
-30% The robbery squad has solved more robberies than any London borough, with personal robbery down by 30%.
43% of serious violent crimes being solved, making us one of the capital’s best performers.
97 Since May we have charged 97 people with knife related offences.
80 Since May we have taken more than 80 knives off the streets of Haringey.
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