Councillor Richard Clifton and Councillor Heather Honour

  

Sutton has consistently been one of the safest Boroughs in London. Nonetheless local Councillors, the police, the Council and other partners recognise that feeling safe is one of our residents’ most important priorities.

Crime has now reduced by 26.7% since 2005-06 when the Metropolitan Police and Sutton Council set up a jointly managed service to run the Borough’s community safety services. This includes the local Safer Neighbourhoods policing teams, Council funded Safer Parks police teams and CCTV.

 DO YOU HAVE VIEWS ON HOW SOUTH SUTTON IS POLICED AND WHAT OUGHT TO BE THE PRIORITIES FOR POLICE ACTION ? LET US KNOW. IT WILL HELP US IN OUR CONTINUING DIALOGUE, ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY, WITH THE LOCAL POLICE, ON HOW SUTTON SOUTH CAN BEST BE POLICED. AND LET US KNOW IF YOUR HAVE IDEAS ON HOW THE POLICE PANEL, THE VEHICLE FOR CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMUNITY, CAN BE MADE MORE REPRESENTATIVE.

SOUTH SUTTON WARD PANEL MEETING. 18 APRIL 

The panel welcomed Sergeant Geraldine Costello, our new sergeant, whom we share with Belmont Ward.

The latest crime statistics show Sutton South remains a low crime area and crime has, overall, fallen further, but with a small increase in residential burglaries, many from garages. There is a welcome reduction in thefts from motor vehicles and criminal damage.

The panel confirmed as police priorities for the next three months:

- theft from motor vehicles, to keep on top of this following the recent reduction

- drugs and anti-social behaviour in the Brighton Road

- garage burglaries

- support for “Operation Ferrous”, which relates to the theft and trading of scrap metal, a particular problem due to the escalation in the price of scrap metal.

The panel discussed “community payback” work by offenders. It also had a discussion of ways of improving how it represents the local community and provides information on its work, to have a better dialogue with the police on behalf of the community.

14 MARCH WARD PANEL MEETING: POSTPONED

We expressed concern at the cancellation of the Ward panel meeting arranged for 14 March. We wrote to senior police officers in Sutton as below, and received satisfactory assurances in return about future policing resources for the Ward:

“To Superintendant Phil Willis, Head of SPSS

The Sutton South Ward Panel met on 7 December.

Crime figures discussed at the meeting show Sutton South continues to be a low crime area. However, figures for the last twelve months show an increase compared to the previous period in burglaries, though a reduction in thefts from motor vehicles. The increase in burglaries is largely associated with thefts from garages. The priorities of the police for the next three months will be garage burglaries, drugs and anti-social behaviour in the Brighton Road, and thefts from motor vehicles, as we seem to be making good progress in combatting this crime. There will also be a police initiative on people phoning or texting while driving, which is very dangerous. The police also gave information on a number of initiatives associated with drugs and the operation of a brothel. Some issues of concern at earlier meetings, including street drinking, seem to be under control. The police will look out for rough sleepers sleeping in the communal areas of buildings as the weather gets colder, in particular at Beauclere House in the Brighton Road. Responding to an issue raised with him by residents, Richard mentioned an incident of a vagrant sleeping in a stairwell in a block of flats in Grange Road. The police have visited the property. There has been no repetition of the incident.

It was agreed to hold a meeting to discuss how to make the panel more representative of the community. Contact us if you have ideas.

Sutton South is, relatively, a low crime area. Aside from figures given to the Ward Panel meetings, we undertake an analysis of crime figures for Sutton South Ward based on the figures put out by the Community and Police Forum. The figures analysed below are for April to December 2011. They show the rank of Sutton South Ward out of 18 Wards (of roughly equal size) in Sutton where 1 is the lowest placed Ward (so the best figure) and 18 the highest (worst). A rank of less than 8 indicates the figures for the Ward are below the median for Sutton. We have also indicated whether the figure is broadly up or down or level compared to the figures for April to December 2010. The figures demonstrate that Sutton South has lower crime levels overall than the rest of Sutton.

  

“Police message about the recent disorder

On behalf of the Borough Commander and all Sutton Borough officers and staff, I want to thank all of you who have shown such immense support for the Police during the recent disorder and violence.

I am proud to report that our officers in Sutton have demonstrated a huge commitment to keeping our town centres and streets safe.

Officers have shown this in the way they have dispersed troublemakers, carried out arrests at the time of incidents and in follow-up raids on suspects’ homes, and gathered evidence to bring offenders to justice.

To date we are dealing with around 20 crimes, many with multiple suspects, resulting from the disorder. The offences include violent disorder, assault on police, burglary and criminal damage. In the vast majority of cases offenders have been arrested and charged – and cases have already started to go to court. We are continuing to pursue the remaining offenders relentlessly.

Our ‘pro-active policing response’ to the disorder has helped to prevent troublemakers from gathering in groups and gaining the upper hand. We have managed to maintain control and keep the number of offences to a relatively small number.

Since the disorder, our officers have been applauded in the streets, offered cups of tea and even given cakes! This is testament to the close relationship that officers have built up with local communities and businesses in our borough. This is something we want to build on and strengthen because the most effective policing is always going to be a partnership between officers and local communities.

This is an opportune time to reflect and celebrate that the local police are part of a truly joint endeavour – the highly successful Safer Sutton Partnership Service. The successes in dealing with the disorder reflects several years of achievement in reducing crime and disorder that has as its foundation in an acceptance by elected members, officers and public that we are all one team within the SSPS working together to protect and reassure the communities of Sutton.

I am appealing for information about any criminal or anti-social behaviour. We want people to contact us if they become aware through social networking channels of any potential trouble. Children are often avid users of social networks and can play a key part in telling us what’s going on – so do ask them for their help, which could help us prevent serious disorder. The more information we have, the better and quicker we can respond. So please ask your families, friends and relatives for any information that they may have. A significant number of those arrested were adults. However, young people are very aware of what may happen, and we should seek their support in obtaining information. If you see a crime being committed dial 999 or in a non-emergency you can contact us on 101. Sutton is one of the safest boroughs in London . Help us make it the safest!

Acting Supt. Alan Chambers,
Sutton Police Station”