H&F LET officers on patrol in Brackenbury Village
Hammersmith & Fulham's Law Enforcement Team (LET) completed its latest 24-hour operation to tackle anti-social behaviour in Brackenbury Village this week.
Local police and local outreach workers joined LET officers on their patrols throughout the day.
Crime can affect anyone and everyone in H&F. While recent operations focussed on the Clem Attlee and White City estates, this time LET officers covered a wider W6 area bordered by Goldhawk Road, King Street, Hammersmith Grove and Ravenscourt Park.
They patrolled areas around local schools including Brackenbury, Bute House and Godolphin & Latymer as well as public transport hubs in Goldhawk Road, Hammersmith Broadway and Ravenscourt Park.
Joining the LET on the day was Cllr Stephen Cowan, Leader of H&F, who said:
"Our Law Enforcement Team is one of the biggest investments of any council in Britain in keeping people safe.
"It's a key part of our strategy, which has three other prongs – our Gang's Unit, to protect our young people, a women and girls strategy, particularly relevant at this time, and a very extensive CCTV operation – one of the most extensive in the UK.
"All of our council record investment is backed by working very closely with the Metropolitan Police."
Brackenbury-based butcher John Stenton added:
"I think this is a fantastic idea. The more boots on the ground, the better.
"I hope the whole of London actually goes this way, so our police officers then have more time to study crime and make more arrests."
Throughout the day, H&F's LET assisted the local police on various occasions.
LET officers were the first to arrive at the site of a road traffic accident. The officers ensured that none of the drivers required medical attention and secured their details. Soon after, one of the drivers left the scene. The LET officers stayed with the remaining driver until the police arrived and shared their observations with their fellow officers.
Other highlights of the Brackenbury Village operation included:
- 300 actions and resident engagements
- 138 high-visibility reassurance patrols
- 115 door-knocks to introduce the LET and hand out contact details to residents
- 10 weapons sweeps
- assisted local police in securing areas affected by fallen masonry caused by the storm
- 3 engagements with street sleepers in collaboration with Turning Point, two of which accepted offers of alternative accommodation
- 14 fly-tip follow-ups, all of which were reported for clearance.
Tackling local crime together
In addition to these targeted 24-hour operations, our LET officers patrol the borough day and night, seven days a week. They are the council's eyes and ears and play a critical role, along with the police, in cracking down on local crime in H&F.
All 72 of our LET officers are Community Safety Accreditation Scheme trained, which enables them to work with the local police and assist them with a range of tasks.
Their role is unique as they are able to provide vital local intelligence. Thanks to their direct line to both the council's CCTV team and the police, they can report suspicious behaviour and direct the police to where they're needed quickly and effectively.
The LET's responsibilities include:
- obtaining the name and address of offenders
- deterring any drink or drug use
- patrolling areas where drug dealing is suspected to provide a deterrent
- issuing fixed penalty notices for littering
- issuing fines for dog fouling
- tagging abandoned bikes for removal
- engaging with and make referrals for rough sleepers or beggars
- enforcing by-laws and public space protection orders
- supporting local businesses that are subject to youths entering threateningly in high numbers
- locking major parks in the evening
- enforcing against anyone who has gained unauthorised access
- managing cordons
- assisting volunteers at Covid testing sites
- and deterring anti-social behaviour and environment crime in all parks, open spaces, town centres and housing land.
Since its creation less than a year ago, the LET has responded to more than 2,125 calls from H&F residents and acted on more than 44,000 incidents within the borough, of which more than 2,500 were anti-social behaviour related. As such, our LET officers form a critical part of the council's response to local crime.
Their next 24-hour operation will take place on Wednesday 2 March in Shepherds Bush.
Learn more on their previous operation here.
See this week's BBC report on H&F's Law Enforcement Team.
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