
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
Stockwell Park Conservation Area
Report December 2007
Co-ordinator:
David Tomlinson
david@tomlinsons.uk.com 020 7733 5846
Reporting Crime
Call 999 to report any crime
that is ‘in action’ or has occurred recently.
If
the crime is clearly minor and non-emergency report it to 020 8649 1212
or
online at online.met.police.uk
Our
local Police Teams are
Stockwell
Ward (west of
Stockwell Park Road) 020 8721 3661
Sgt
Geoff Ross Geoff.Ross@met.police.uk
Vassall Ward (east of
Stockwell Park Road) 020 8721 3661
Sgt Sarah Ward sarah.ward@met.police.uk
Local Crime
Lambeth is experiencing a spate of
burglaries. There have been several in
our area, with others foiled by good defences or observant neighbours. The majority have targeted laptops that have
been on view, so keep them out of sight when not in use. I use a Kensington lock – a strong cable that
secures a laptop to a strong point such as a radiator pipe. It’s enough to deter the opportunistic burglar.
Over the last two months there have been
11 street robberies and 3 snatches in the whole of Stockwell Ward and 5 street
robberies and 1 snatch in Vassall. Our main problem area is along Stockwell
Road from the Tube station with a spillover into our adjoining streets – St
Michael’s Road and St Martin’s Road.
Some have been on buses leaving the Stockwell Road bus stop. As a result the Stockwell Safer Neighbourhood
Panel and Sgt Ross have agreed this area should be a policing priority with
increase patrolling and observation. All
aspects will be covered, including riding bikes on pavements. Note: PCSOs have the authority, which they
use, to impose on-the-spot £50 Fixed Penalty Notices on pavement bike
riders. And Stockwell Park School now
has a police officer permanently attached to it (and so does St Thomas’
Hospital).
Vehicle crime is a problem right across
Stockwell with 22 thefts from motor vehicles and 8 thefts of motor
vehicles. There doesn’t appear to be any
particular consistency to location, time of day etc.
The Good News
After
pressure from within the Police, the Lambeth Community Safety Officer and
community representatives we have got a replacement police officer for Kevin
Challis who left the Vassall Police Team on promotion to Sergeant, so the team
is back up to strength with three Police officers and three PCSOs.
The
Vassall Police Team has worked hard and succcesfully in getting a Court closure
order on a notorious crack house in Groveway.
Groveway residents played a vital role in collecting and providing
confidentially the evidence which convinced the Court. An outstanding example of Police and residents
working together. Thank you!
The
Neighbourhood Police Teams worked late shifts through the fireworks period,
with the result that there were far fewer incidents than in previous
years. The Stockwell Team stopped and
searched more than 20 suspect individuals, including 3 caught with cannabis,
and issued one Penalty Notice for disorder.
Some not so good news –but not all bad
Gun
crime is a major problem in Lambeth, but the Police are tackling it strenuously. Good local information has resulted in a
series of successful raids and searches with more than 25 guns having been
found since late October. In a recent
dawn raid in Stockwell Gardens East a gun was found in one flat and body armour
in another; arrests were made. So
November was the first month this year when nobody was murdered in
Lambeth.
Gangs
of children are the bane of people’s lives, particularly (but not only) on the
estates. There was a nasty incident at
Costcutters, Stockwell Station, on 26 November, when a victim was saved only by
the intervention of passers-by and the store manager.
But
Myatts Field North Estate is the worst in Lambeth for anti-social behaviour,
drugs and gun crime. Recently two PCSOs
were pursued off the estate and days later a police car was attacked and burnt
out. A dynamic duo of Sgt Sarah Ward and
Lulu Gravergaard, Lambeth Council’s Community Safety Officer for North Lambeth,
with key support from Supt Alistair Sutherland (North Sector Commander) and our
new Borough Commander, Sharon Rowe, have led the way in forming an action group
of Police, Lambeth Housing, and residents to take charge of the problem. We must now look to our local Councillors to
give their support by ensuring the senior Council Officers in Lambeth’s Housing
Department fast-track vital improvements to the neglected infrastructure of the
estate.
Police Community Support Officers
PCSOs
have been in the news. Our Borough
Commander, Sharon Rowe, was recently asked publicly about their role. She stated unequivocally that in Lambeth she
expected all Police officers and PCSOs to be ‘pro-active’.
There
are problems in that PCSOs are unionised and some take advantage of a ‘work to
rule’ philosophy. Some do not speak or
write good enough English to be effective.
On the other hand, many aspire to be Police officers: two of our best in
Stockwell have been accepted for training at Hendon as ‘proper’ Police. Congratulations to them. And now all applicants to join the
Metropolitan Police must first complete a year as a PCSO – including one of our
Vassall PCSOs.
Do
contact me if you have anything to ask, to report , or to comment.
A Happy Christmas and a safe New Year to you all. David Tomlinson