Agenda item

This report provides PAC with an update following the previous meeting focusing on work of the Law Enforcement Team for the six months between June and December 2024.

Mo Basith (LET Manager) introduced the work of the Law Enforcement Team (LET) for the six months between June and December 2024, including the work of the borough-wide Street Harassment Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), the commissioning of drugs and alcohol treatment providers, tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB), prevention of knife crimes and joint enforcement against fly-tipping.

Neil Thurlow (Director of Public Protection) highlighted LET’s engagement and work with H&F’s residents and referred to residents’ compliments (pages 14 & 16).

Referring to the graph on Street Population (Engagement/Referral) (page 24), the Chair asked about engagement with homeless people, in particular those rough sleepers around the Hammersmith border areas. 

Mo Basith noted a trend where people who were expecting stamped documents from their embassy would sleep on nearby streets to obviate the need of travelling back and forth. The LET had worked closely with the Council’s Homelessness Team and removed the homeless people from the streets to, for example, emergency accommodation according to Severe Weather Emergency Protocol or accommodation that met their individual needs.  Neil Thurlow clarified that the figures on the graph did not represent the number of rough sleepers but the number of headcounts engaged in that month so there might be multiple counts for the same individual.

The Chair asked about actions taken to enhance the safety of Normand Park such as improvements to the lighting.   Mark Raisbeck (Director of Public Realm) noted a recent survey had been carried out by an independent lighting specialist who looked at the safety and security of the Park. It was confirmed that there was a good level supply of lighting which had spread into most of the footpaths at reasonable levels. There was also extensive CCTV coverage.  A review would soon be conducted in conjunction with the Police’s crime unit to see if additional lighting and CCTV should be provided at specific locations or other measures such as re-designing the path and/or re-locating facilities needed to be done to reduce crimes.

On the big highlights of the past year, Neil Thurlow noted some of the key achievements including the increasing levels of drugs being removed and the number of knives being found.  The LET had received other boroughs’ enquiries about ways to manage the public space and requests for visits.  Besides, LET officers would continue supporting the safety of colleagues working on the Hammersmith Bridge and enhancing the security of the streets near the football clubs.    

Regarding the Chair’s enquiry about staff recruitment and training, Neil Thurlow said the LET’s staffing situation was now stable after experiencing some movement around the management at ward level.  As a sizable service, it was natural for LET to always carry vacancies.  The constant openings were promoted through more inclusive adverts and in social media.  Besides strengthening vetting to recruit suitable officers, the LET also encouraged them to take on more works when there were opportunities so that their expertise and experience could be retained and built on in taking up more senior positions.  Mo Basith added that there were retired police, current officers from other boroughs etc applying to join the LET which aimed at recruiting people with the right motivation to enable the LET to make continuous improvements. 

In reply to Councillor Lucy Richardson’s question about the DBS checks, Mo Basith remarked while adopting the same vetting standard as the police to ensure the new recruits got the right credentials to work, the LET was doing more in the process.  For example, the LET would consider whether it was confident in entrusting the potential officer to enter the residents’ premises and carry out duty in a caring way to help the residents at a time of need. Neil Thurlow highlighted the ruthless nature of vetting as the family was involved in the procedures. The vetting was very crucial since the new LET officers would be given additional powers to ensure community safety,

Noting that residents might watch this Committee’s meetings online or walkabout with the LET, the Chair was concerned about other ways of residents’ engagements with the LET.  Mo Basith said the LET officers always made themselves available to attend the meetings of the Housing Tenants and Residents’ Association (TRAs).   In addition, residents might meet LET officers on the first three Mondays of every month in the Central Library or other libraries in the borough.  Or residents could get in touch and the LET could set up separate meetings, including walkabouts, to cater for their needs.   

Responding to Councillor Richardson’s suggestion of providing LET’s website information on a physical leaflet or a small card, Neil Thurlow agreed to review what could be done to address this further to the LET’s updates in respect of community safety included in future e-news articles and advised that the LET featured in the twice-yearly printed Council’s newsletter which was distributed to every household. 

Noting an average of 209 patrols had been delivered by the LET per day during the reported period, Councillor Rowan Ree (Cabinet Member for Finance and Reform) considered this a huge amount of visibility given the small size of the borough.  He also commended the work of the borough-wide Street Harassment PSPO which in his opinion was difficult to enforce yet highly complimented. In response to his comment, Neil Thurlow agreed to bring more updates to the next report.

Councillor Rebecca Harvey (Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion and Community Safety) noted from some residents’ emails that there was an intention to scrutinise the LET which had yielded real credits for everything they were doing. Indeed, the BCU’s Superintendent was impressed by the work of the LET and CCTV Team which had led to some successful arrests by the Police. The LET was very friendly and supportive that a resigned officer had rejoined the team.

The Committee noted the report.