All too often resident's feel that the Police are nowhere to be seen and are hiding in their cushy offices drinking tea.  Well that's not exactly right and as the following piece tries to illustrate, they are really out and about our borough.  Yes, this piece was provided by the Met, but I know our Safer Neighbourhood's Team and have seen them trudging around on the coldest and dreariest of days!

Islington Safer Neighbourhoods Officers Walk The Extra Mile In Their Community

One police officer and two Police Community Support Officers have taken part in a pedometer challenge to see how many footsteps they take serving the Islington community during the course of one working day. In total they took 46,752 steps in one eight-hour shift.

This was done as part of a new Metropolitan Police Service campaign "Walking is Working" which aims to highlight how important it is for Safer Neighbourhoods teams to engage and be visible and approachable in the local community,

The Metropolitan Police Service Policing Pledge stipulates that Safer Neighbourhoods Teams should spend at least 80 per cent of their time working and engaging with the local community. Our 16 Safer Neighbourhoods teams have exceeded this commitment. Assisting them are the North and South Islington Problem Solving team, the Safer Neighbourhoods Task Force- set up to tackle crimininal and illegal drugs activity and the Angel team targeting crime in the N1 area around the shops.

PCSO Vicki Burns from the Clerkenwell Safer Neighbourhoods team said: " My typical day involves liaising with housing offices, estate managers,hostel managers and shopkeepers. I speak daily to residents on the ward about any issues or concerns they might have. I also engage with the local youths, I know where they are coming from because I am 19 years old. To help break down barriers between the young people and police, we have begun a local youth drop-in surgery, which is held once a week.

"It may sound like I'm reading a script but everyone plays a key role in having a safer neighbourhood. It's really important to be visible and approachable in the community and patrolling on foot makes this possible."

This year, Hillrise and Holloway Safer Neighbourhoods Teams have obtained two dispersal orders in the Elthorne Park and Market Place areas,in direct response to complaints from the community about anti-social behaviour. St George's and Caledonian SNTs have joined forces with Islington Council to clean up Islington as part of the 'Cleaner,Safer Islington' campaign, and responding to an increase in cycle thefts, Barnsbury SNT recently held a free bike tagging event for cyclists living and working in Islington. These are just a few of the numerous examples of Safer Neighbourhoods teams listening and responding to the needs of the community.

And rember, local residents CAN have their say – come to the next Safer Neighbourhoods Panel.  To get on the mailing list, please email its secretary Jennifer C. for time/place of the next meeting.