By Inspector Michael Nicholls, Chiswick Sector Inspector
The Police, in partnership with other agencies, are focusing on crime in Chiswick Town Centre as well as other town centres in the Borough as part of the new Crime Reduction Strategy, 2002-2005. Typically town centre crime includes street robberies and thefts, shop theft, criminal damage, drunkenness and disorder and vehicle crime. Perhaps these are crimes you, your staff or your business has experienced.
The Chiswick Town Centre Stakeholder Group is an initiative to tackle such crime. The Group includes representatives from the Council, the Police and the Business Community to promote and co-ordinate crime prevention and crime reduction in Chiswick Town Centre. The Chiswick Business Association (CBA) fully supports this initiative and its Chairman has represented the interests of the Business Community in the initial discussion and debate.
The Chiswick Town Centre Stakeholder Group has all ready achieved some of its aims. It has identified the area to be targeted, approached key stakeholders and surveyed Businesses. The Police have recruited two additional Police Constables with dedicated mobile telephones to patrol Chiswick Town Centre as well as actively supported and led the graffiti cleanup in Chiswick including many sites in the town centre. The Police have successfully lobbied for CCTV in Turnham Green Terrace.
Much of the Group’s efforts have focused upon engaging the Business and Local Community and enabling better intelligence gathering between the Police and Businesses in the town centre. Despite an overall increase in crimes reported to the Police between July and September 2002 (up 31 reports), there have been some successes with targeting crime. Compared to the previous quarter, Shop theft, Criminal damage, violent crime and assaults, Drug dealing, Burglary and Drunken and Disorderly behaviour was down.
Unfortunately other types of crime were on the increase. Should you have information about a crime please do not hesitate to contact the town centre Police Constables on the dedicated mobile telephone numbers:
| PC Mark Bailie on |
0778 777 7118 |
| PC David Gurnhill on |
0778 778 1316 |
I believe that together, with the support of the CBA, we are in a position to get things done for the benefit of Chiswick Town Centre. But the Chiswick Town Centre Stakeholder Group needs to represent and reflect your concerns about crime in the town centre. The next meeting will be Wednesday 12th March 2003, 2pm at Chiswick Police Station. If you would like to come along, please contact Inspector Michael Nicholls on 020 8247 6400.
Copies of the Crime Reduction Strategy are available by telephoning 020 8583 2484.
March 7, 2003
Inspector Nicholls will be leaving Chiswick Police station on 17th March to take up a new post at Heathrow. He takes with him every best wish from station staff and general public