The Scrutiny Review committee of Islington council is undertaking a review of policing. Witness sessions will begin on 9 October 2012 and the final report will be published on 21 March 2013. For further details including ward crime statistics click here.
It will have the overall aims :
To examine the ability of Islington's communities to influence policing priorities and ensure that police operations reflect the true needs of the locality
To examine the constitution, governance and operation of safer neighbourhood panels and the relationship with the mayor's office for policing and crime
The objectives will be:
To review the governance arrangements for Safer Neighbourhood Panels, including –
o comparing and contrasting the work of individual Safer Neighbourhoods Panels and identifying best practice
o interaction amongst panels and sharing of good practice
o relationship with ward partnerships and how ward partnerships influence Safer Neighbourhood Panels priorities
o any lessons to be learned from merger/close working between ward partnerships and Safer Neighbourhood Panels
To review consistency of practice and approach amongst SNTS and Ward panels
To review the extent of community engagement and the feedback of information to shape neighbourhood priorities as well as wider policing priorities in the borough;
To review how well the Safer Neighbourhood Teams link with other relevant statutory services (MAGPIs, youth service, housing, etc.) in delivering community based policing and how effectiveness could be improved;
To review how effectively Safer Neighbourhood Teams use police intelligence, crime mapping and crime hot spots information and co-operate across ward boundaries in order to more effectively combat crime and increase community confidence;
To review SNT role in implementing probation led compliance projects;
To investigate how Safer Neighbourhood Teams balance local and corporate priorities - such as domestic violence vs. community based priorities such as anti social behaviour;
To examine how neighbourhood policing resources are tasked to follow the impact of crime, and the effectiveness of this;
To look at communication between neighbourhood police and the community, including how good news stories and the outcome of police interventions are reported back to residents;
To explore new methods of community engagement, including using social media, virtual panels and other modern technology;
To assess the benefits to the community as experienced and expressed by community groups and residents;
To review the extent to which neighbourhood policing engage with services in the community, particularly within the voluntary and community sectors;
To assess the proposed model of policing structure for London, including neighbourhood policing and how this would affect the borough including the implications for neighbourhood policing on a sector basis; this should include how resources can be most effectively secured;
To assess current staffing levels of SNT's in the borough and examine whether fewer officers over recent past have led to increases in neighbourhood crime rates;
To investigate access to community premises/how the Metropolitan Police premises meet/will meet the requirements of local neighbourhood policing;
To look at residents perception of crime and how this can be effectively managed;
To look at how the ASB hotline is improving the work of SNT’s level of implementation/best practice in wards and what level of resources can be expected;
To examine whether the various bodies set up to scrutinise community safety, including the Islington Crime and Community Safety Board, could benefit from a more joined up approach in order to improve effectiveness.
