Safer Communities Engagement Days

The Community Safety Team, Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams and community safety partners are continuing to work together to deliver a new programme of  safer communities engagement days in 2024. 

The council's safer communities mobile unit will be available with safer communities officers on board, as well as  police officers and Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officers (THEOs). There will be opportunities for residents to speak to their local Safer Neighbourhood Operations team, report any issues and seek advice.

We will also be organising some walkabouts, which are a means of providing a high profile and visible way of engaging with residents to address concerns of crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB) in their neighbourhood.  They have been introduced in response to rising levels of ASB and the increasing levels of concern raised by residents, giving them the opportunity to: 

• speak directly to senior officers in the police, council and partner agencies about their local concerns and emerging issues about crime and ASB

• for the police, council and community safety partners to demonstrate ‘on the ground’ partnership working and to build confidence in the police and council in dealing with local crime and ASB issues affecting residents

• to hold partners to account and produce robust, ward-specific plans that all partners agree to respond to

• to engage and inform residents of the action taken from each walkabout, report concerns and ultimately reduce the fear of crime

• to raise awareness of police ward panel meetings and encourage residents to get involved and help directly shape policing ward priorities

• to promote the message that tackling crime and ASB is a partnership priority commitment, working with residents to create a healthier and safer community.

We will be holding walkabouts on an as-needed basis for 2024, following feedback from residents and stakeholders.

Action taken

The action taken will be fed back to residents and the local Safer Neighbourhood Ward Panel will hold authorities accountable for the delivery of the actions. 

Safer communities engagement days 

Women's safety walks

A new series of in-person women’s safety walks will create a safe and inclusive space for residents to tell us their thoughts and concerns on safety issues across our borough, so we can make improvements to benefit everyone.

The walks will take participants on a planned walk through a chosen area, and residents will be able to point out anything they feel needs to be improved.

The areas we have chosen to focus on for these walks are those which were either highlighted in our previous series of online virtual walks or through ASB reports we’ve received.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Dates:

• Mile End station: 2nd October 2024 for a 5pm start                                                                                        

• Gowers Walk: 3rd October 2024 for a 5pm start 

• Langdon Park: 9th October 2024 for a 5pm start                                                                                      

• Bethnal Green Gardens: 24th October 2024 for a 5pm start 

Useful information

The council, police and partners would encourage the public to keep reporting these issues using the range of services available to them below:

• Call 999: in an emergency, if there is a crime occurring or there is a threat to life

• Call 101: for Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) , including drug dealing. If drug dealing is happening outside of a school or playground, call 999

• Report Crime, ASB and drug dealing online to the Police (for drug dealing select ‘Report antisocial behaviour’ link)

• Report ASB online to the council

• Call Crime Stoppers to report any crime anonymously on 0800 555 111

• Contact your Police Safer Neighbourhood Team

• Register on OWL (Online Watch Link). This portal is used by the Metropolitan Police Service in partnership with local Neighbourhood Watch coordinators to communicate with residents and businesses across the Borough. OWL provides watch members with the latest messages and local crime alerts sent by email, telephone, SMS or fax. Register for this scheme.