CivicWatch

What is CivicWatch?

CivicWatch is a team within Westminster Council’s Community Protection department; a problem solving initiative that started in autumn 2003. CivicWatch is a unique partnership project involving Westminster Council, the police, CityWest Homes, London Fire Brigade and other departments within Westminster City Council and aims to support the police in reducing crime and fear of crime as well as improving community confidence by tackling anti-social behaviour, persistent environmental problems and sign posting alternatives to poor behaviour.

What can we help with?

The key elements of the programme are as follows:

• Bringing residents and the council closer together
• Responding to residents’ concerns, involving them and developing public confidence in service delivery
• Ensuring City Guardians, Metropolitan Police Safer Neighbourhoods team and CivicWatch co-ordinators work together with local communities to identify local problems and find solutions.

How we work with the police

Local CivicWatch and Safer Neighbourhoods teams meet on a weekly basis to share information and intelligence, which is based around in-depth research compiled by analysts. Resources are then deployed according to what the information reveals. Every few months a high-level accountability meeting involving the Leader of the Council, Commander of the Metropolitan Police, Directors of Council departments and key officers oversee this activity.

What issues we can help with

CivicWatch supports the police in their crime reduction efforts and can assist with low level anti-social behaviour such as graffiti, noise, begging, abandoned vehicles, illegal advertising and trading, low level anti social behaviour, street cleaning and waste collections.

Safer Neighbourhoods Ward panel

CivicWatch is divided into 26 areas, to reflect the 26 Police Safer Neighbourhoods areas assigned accordingly to the boundaries of the 20 electoral wards within Westminster Council. Each CivicWatch area has a local ward panel; formed of local residents or business people. The purpose of these panels is to use available community intelligence and analysis in order to identify local priorities for action. In addition they monitor and review police and council progress to tackle these priorities. Please contact your Safer Neighbourhoods police Sergeant, Mohamed Khalil (Mohamed.Khalil@met.police.uk, 020 7161 8986) for more details on your local ward panel.

Resident consultation

CivicWatch consults regularly with different sections of the community to identify the crime, disorder and anti social behaviour issues that cause most concern in each neighbourhood. Consultation is carried out in a variety of forms: door to door, street briefings, focus groups, written appeals for information and a quarterly telephone survey. The results from these consultations are used to help select area priorities for CivicWatch officers and the Safer Neighbourhoods teams.

CivicWatch also runs a ‘CivicWatch Citizens’ project across the city, enabling residents to take more active role in community. There are currently over 700 citizens registered. CivicWatch Citizens are able to report any type of anti social behaviour and environmental problem in their area and in turn receive monthly updates on our progress in resolving them. For more information on how to become a CivicWatch Citizen call 0207 641 1007 or email CivicWatchCitizen@westminster.gov.uk.

What kind of resources we can provide

Mobile City Guardians, CCTV van, deployable mobile police taskforce, Safer Neighbourhoods police and City Inspectors.

How to contact CivicWatch

Your local CivicWatch Liaison Officer is Caroline Dyer. Caroline can be contacted on 020 7641 1085 or by emailing cdyer@westminster.gov.uk.

Safer Neighbourhoods police
 
Frequently Asked Questions about Safer Neighbourhoods
http://www.met.police.uk/saferneighbourhoods/faq.htm

Contact details for the Knightsbridge & Belgravia Safer Neighbourhoods team
http://www.met.police.uk/saferneighbourhoods/boroughs/westminster/saferneighbourhoods.htm#00BKGH

999 If a crime is happening and you need immediate police assistance, call 999. Knightsbridge & Belgravia Safer Neighbourhoods Team This is the local police team that operates in your area, headed by Sergeant Gary Herrett, and is made up of 2 Police Constables & 3 Police Community Support Officers. The team aims to identify and tackle long term crime or nuisance problems in your neighbourhood. Contact the team on 020 7161 8986 or 07290 233938 Belgravia Police Station 202 Buckingham Palace Road SW1W 9SX Ring the station if you need to report a non-emergency crime, this is if a crime has taken place and no-one is in danger - 020 7730 1212 Community Intelligence Line Call the 24 hour Community Intelligence Line on 020 7641 3000 to report low level crime and anti-social behaviour. Please note that this is a non-response, non-emergency line, however the information given will be passed to the local teams working in your area. Crime Stoppers (www.crimestoppers-uk.org) If you have information about any crime but do not wish to give your name, call 0800 555 111.

Westminster City Council Contacts For general council enquiries contact the Westminster City Council switchboard on 020 7641 6000. Contact the 24 hour Environmental Action Line on 020 7641 2000 for recycling, refuse collection, street cleansing, abandoned vehicles, noise and other street related issues. For council related crime and disorder issues contact Caroline Dyer, your CivicWatch Liaison Officer call 07702 537403. CivicWatch Citizens Passionate about your local area and want to improve it for everyone?  Why not become a CivicWatch Citizen and report any type of anti-social behaviour and environmental problem in your area and get updates on our progress in resolving them. For information on how to become a CivicWatch Citizen, call 020 7641 1007 or e-Mail CivicWatchCitizen@westminster.gov.uk. Neighbourhood Watch Neighbourhood Watch is about being part of a community team whose members work to protect each other from crime and anti-social behaviour and improve the quality of life in their area. To find out more about Neighbourhood Watch in your area contact 020 7641 2117. Victim Support Victim Support helps people cope with the effects of crime by providing free and confidential support and information.  To find your local Victim Support branch call 0845 30900 or visit the Victim Support website www.victimsupport.org.uk