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Crime Watch:

Monthly Policing & Community Action Roundup appeared first on Heart of London.

Friday 22 August: Each month, we share a snapshot of the community support, crime prevention and enforcement work in the West End.

On 30 July, Heart of London Business Alliance welcomed Mayor Sadiq Khan, Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, Deputy Mayors Howard Dawber OBE and Kaya Comer-Schwartz, Westminster MP Rachel Blake, and Council Leader Cllr Adam Hug for a high-level roundtable discussion and walkaround in the West End.

The visit brought together businesses, police, City Hall and Westminster Council to discuss safety and security challenges, and to explore stronger collaboration between the business community and statutory bodies.

Key announcements included funding for:

  • 80 additional police officer posts in the West End
  • Increased usage of live facial recognition technology
  • Extra support for protests and major incidents, freeing up local officers for day-to-day neighbourhood issues

This forms part of the Met and Mayor’s wider drive to boost neighbourhood policing. The West End’s dedicated team will grow by over 50%, enabling more officers on the ground to target prolific offenders, protect the public and deter crime.

Pedicab Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) consultation

The number of pedicabs in Westminster has risen sharply, alongside concerns about nuisance behaviour. While TfL is consulting on a licensing scheme, Westminster City Council sought views on interim measures, such as the implementation of a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), to address the most problematic activity. A decision is expected in late August.

Live facial recognition operations

Two live facial recognition deployments took place in Coventry Street and Leicester Square, resulting in:

  • 11 arrests
  • 3 registered sex offenders identified and stopped

Arrests included individuals wanted for:

  • Breach of Sexual Harm Prevention Order
  • Robbery & GBH
  • Burglary
  • Racially aggravated harassment (fail to appear)
  • Common assault (fail to appear)
  • Breach of court order
  • Breach of conditions (Registered Sex Offender)