Action plan launched to address crime and safety
Residents and visitors in Waltham Forest will benefit from improved policing in their local areas after the council and police published their action plan in response to last year’s Citizens’ Assembly looking into the future of neighbourhood policing.
The action plan, published at a meeting of Cabinet on Tuesday 6 May, is the culmination of intensive work over the last couple of years to address the barriers that prevent local people feeling safe and improve relations between the police and the community.
The actions were decided following the Citizen’s Assembly on neighbourhood policing that was held across several weekends in 2024. A panel of 50 residents, especially selected to represent the demographics of the borough, joined leaders from the council and police to examine the issues. An advisory panel of experts in policing, community safety, and the needs of different minority groups also attended and contributed to the agreed actions.
Ten recommendations were published following the assembly that included improving police relations with young people, engaging more with local communities, and increasing the visibility of officers on the streets.
Cllr Grace Williams, Leader of Waltham Forest Council, said: “Baroness Casey’s review of the Metropolitan Police in 2023 was a real catalyst for change. It gave us an opportunity to look at how we work together and how we can get the best policing outcomes for our residents.
“We recognise that there needs to be a serious long-term change in how the police work with local communities. This action plan lays out what needs to happen to restore trust and confidence in policing.
“I’d like to thank everyone who participated in the Citizen’s Assembly and helped to form this action plan. It has been a team effort over the last couple of years, and we are already seeing positive outcomes as a result.”
The document divides actions into three areas – short term, to be carried out with six months; medium-term, to be actioned within the next year; and long-term, that will require up to two years to complete.
Cllr Khevyn Limbajee, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “This was the UK’s first Citizen’s Assembly on the Future of Neighbourhood Policing. While these recommendations were made by the people of Waltham Forest for Waltham Forest, we hope that other boroughs can use our model to improve trust and confidence in policing in their own areas.
“Over and over again what we are hearing is that people want a police force rooted in the communities they serve – which is something the police want too. The appetite for change is there on all sides. By increasing opportunities for feedback and scrutiny we will build that trust and confidence and empower residents to work in tandem with the Council and police to keep our streets safe.”
Sarah Jackson, Metropolitan Police Superintendent for Waltham Forest said: “We welcome these community driven recommendations which will shape how Neighbourhood Policing is delivered in Waltham Forest. I extend my sincere thanks to the Citizen’s Assembly members for their invaluable contributions and look forward to working with our critical friends and community in achieving these shared goals.”
The action plan is available in full on the council website.
Waltham Forest Citizens’ Assembly into the future of neighbourhood policing: Ten recommendations
The following are the recommendations from the Citizens’ Assembly, which are supported by the newly published action plan.
- Changing police recruitment
A more inclusive and diverse police force, that reflects the community it serves and represents is key to fostering trust between police and residents.
- Training police in the local area
Equipping officers with the skills they need to improve their interactions with local residents should be a priority in police training programmes.
- Changes in identifying and dealing with wrongdoing by police officers
Protecting the rights of residents and ensuring they know how to identify and report serious police wrongdoing, and feel confident to do so, should be a key priority for the police, the council and partners.
- Improving communication and effective follow-up with victims of crime
Effective follow-up communication is vital to building trust and fostering a sense of safety among victims of crime. Timely, meaningful follow-ups, and a clear handover and sign-posting into other support services, will prevent victims from feeling disconnected and ensure they can easily access targeted and specialist follow-up support, so that they feel valued, respected, understood and safe.
- Engaging with young people to build confident, positive police interactions and supportive, safe, environments for these interactions in educational settings, and via activities run by independent third parties
Building strong and genuine relationships with diverse groups of young people is critical to increasing trust in the police and the council.
- Funding, expanding and being involved with local youth services with the goal of providing increased opportunities and support for young people
Having access to engaging, safe and inclusive services and activities where young people feel heard, valued, and supported is vital to building trust, security, and wellbeing.
- Building deep, trusting, proactive working partnerships with more local community services, particularly those working with underrepresented and vulnerable people
Community services and groups play a vital role when it comes to the safety of our residents. Local organisations have built strong, trusting relationships with their communities, and have expert knowledge on their issues and needs. By strengthening how we work with these groups, the police and council will improve their understanding of the needs of our residents, enhance the support they and partners are able to provide and improve local intelligence to better tackle crime, contributing to greater trust within our communities.
- Engaging with local communities to create a mutually beneficial relationship and to establish effective two-way communication
Communities care deeply about community safety and want more consistent, transparent, and accessible mechanisms to understand the work of the police, council, and partners. This includes opportunities to participate in open, meaningful engagement that shapes local priorities and actions.
- Proactively working together with varied community groups and the wider public to build relationships, enabling effective communication, leading to better safety, trust and easier reporting and preventing crime
Communicating effectively on issues related to community safety is vital to improving feelings of safety and building community trust. This needs to take place in a range of ways to ensure that all our communities are reached and engaged with.
- Greatly increasing the visibility of police and community officers on our streets
A visible police presence is crucial for fostering a sense of safety, trust, and community wellbeing, helping to bridge gaps between the public and the police, particularly young people.