Community Safety Resident Webinar Sept 2025: Your questions answered

The following is a summary of questions asked for the Council and Metropolitan Police’s joint webinar on crime and community safety, held in September 2025, with answers provided by the police and council. Responses to specific questions posed will be sent directly to those who provided an email address. If you asked a question but can't see it below, please email communitysafety@walthamforest.gov.uk so we can send on a direct response.

1. ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR:  What is the council's ASB team responsible for versus the police? 

The Council's Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Team is primarily responsible for managing and resolving issues that negatively impact community wellbeing but do not necessarily constitute criminal offences. Their work focuses on prevention, early intervention, and partnership working to address behaviours such as street drinking, problematic congregations and aggressive begging.  They use civil enforcement tools, support victims, and collaborate with housing providers and other agencies to reduce repeat incidents and promote long-term solutions. 

In contrast, the police are responsible for responding to ASB that involves criminal activity or poses an immediate risk to public safety. Their role includes investigating offences such as harassment, assault, and drug-related behaviour, safeguarding vulnerable individuals, and using criminal enforcement powers. Both agencies work closely to deal with persistent, high impact across the borough collaboratively.

2. PHONE THEFTS: What is being done to prevent phone theft? 

POLICE: The police are undertaking patrols in hot spot areas at peak times to take a proactive approach towards targeting offenders whilst supporting the community.   

At transport hubs, the Metropolitan Police Service are working alongside British Transport Police and colleagues from safer transport to conduct a number of policing operations and to ensure that relevant information is shared.  Crime prevention activities continue to take place in partnership with the local authority.   

A business forum has been started and attended by partners in Leyton High Street and officers have secured the use of a Mobile police station for reporting which will be stationed across hot spot areas.  There is a current Policing Operation in place where officers are attending mobile phone shops who sell mobile phone devices to ensure that the necessary checks are being completed when purchasing a mobile phone.   

The police remain committed to targeting these offences and will continue to work alongside the local authority.  These offences are discussed with plans formalised/reviewed internally at tactical tasking coordination group and externally at monthly multi-agency Problem Solving Partnership meetings. 

COUNCIL: While the Council does not have the powers of the police to deal with criminal matters, our 12 anti-social behaviour officers work within our communities engaging with and supporting residents and gathering evidence to share with the police that will support them in taking enforcement action. This includes undertaking a series of pop-up engagement events in specific areas across the borough such as Blackhorse Road and providing crime prevention advice. 

3. DRUGS: What are you doing about the drug problem in Leytonstone? 

POLICE: The police are focused on targeting drug related activity across Waltham Forest.  To support this work, the police use a variety of tactics and approaches ensuring that the criminal justice system is utilised as well as safeguarding and diversion approaches where suitable.  

The policing response is supported by the Metropolitan Police Service Project Adder team who focus on establishing co-ordinated law enforcement activity, alongside diversionary programmes, to divert people away from drug-related offending. Police Officers undertake joint patrols with partners from the local authority and use referral mechanisms with specialist support teams such as Change Grow Live (CGL) to ensure that the necessary support is offered.  

Patrols are undertaken in hot spot areas at peak times, these are identified via crime data as well as intelligence recorded.  Officers carry out both uniformed and plain clothed patrols at these locations as well using court warrants where applicable.  Long term policing operations remain in place across Waltham Forest where officers are dedicated to patrols in identified areas as well as utilising support, where possible, from other policing and support units.  This can include the use of passive drugs dogs to support operations which have been deployed at a number of sites across Waltham Forest in recent months to target those involved in the use of/supply of drugs.  

The police remain committed to targeting these offences and will continue to work alongside the local authority.  These offences are discussed with plans formalised/reviewed internally at tactical tasking coordination group and externally at monthly multi-agency Problem Solving Partnership meetings.

Further information of work the police and council are doing to tackle substance misuse can be found in our 'Protecting communities from harms caused by alcohol and drugs strategy'. 

4. SHOPLIFTING: What steps are the police taking to counter aggressive shop lifting that directly impacts on store staff? 

POLICE: The police are undertaking patrols in hot spot areas at peak times to take a proactive approach towards targeting offenders. Funding has been secured and used to ensure that these patrols do not impact on other policing activities.  There have been a number of arrests made across Waltham Forest involving suspects of retail crime; including one suspect charged for 67 offences.  Additional information and good news are shared further at ward panel meetings.   

In Waltham Forest we are using Retrospective Facial Recognition  (RFR). This facial recognition technology compares a still image or video of faces in order to identify persons of interest. This intelligence is then used in our retail crime investigations to identify offenders. 

We work alongside the local authority and retailers to reduce retail crime by adopting a joint problem-solving approach. 

We conduct operation’s (Retail Crime Index) that target the main offenders and the main retailers to concentrate our resources on tackling those that cause most of the retail crime in Waltham Forest. 

The police remain committed to targeting these offences and will continue to work alongside the local authority.  These offences are discussed with plans formalised/reviewed internally at a tactical tasking coordination group and externally at monthly multi-agency Problem Solving Partnership meetings. 

5. CAR THEFT: Is the high rate of vehicle theft in Waltham Forest getting the attention it needs? Is there a dedicated specialist unit investigating it and what are the recovery rates? 

POLICE: Theft of and theft from motor vehicle remain a priority across the policing ward teams as well as other acquisitive crime (burglary and robbery).  Policing operations continue to target the peak times and areas using a variety of tactics.  These tactics include plain clothed and uniformed patrols in peak locations at relevant times, traffic operations, the targeting of known offenders through arrest enquiries.  

Funding has been secured and used to ensure that these patrols do not impact on other policing activities.  There have been a number of arrests made across Waltham Forest involving suspects for motor vehicle related offences.  Additional information and good news are shared further at ward panel meetings.   

The police remain committed to targeting these offences and will continue to work alongside the local authority.  These offences are discussed with plans formalised/reviewed internally at tactical tasking coordination group and externally at monthly Problem-Solving Partnership meetings. 

All policing stats can be found here : https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/ 

6. VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS: What are we doing to keep women and girls safe on our streets? 

POLICE: We work in partnership with Local Authority Neighbourhood Officers, Metropolitan Special Police (volunteer) colleagues, Emergency Response Policing and our own Neighbourhood Policing teams to conduct high visibility patrols in areas that have been identified by local residents as those they feel vulnerable in. We target patrols to these areas which are generally in hours of darkness. We conduct a wide range of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) activities to raise awareness and provide reassurance – these include our VAWG engagement stalls at football matches and community events alongside Licensing visits that publicise the Ask for Angela campaign. A female Police Constable is leading on an initiative with Whipps Cross Hospital, working in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Service Network of Women and NHS staff to consider options for safeguarding their staff.  

Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls is both a Metropolitan Police Service and Borough Command Unit priority and the London Northeast team which covers Waltham Forest has seen a 22.4% reduction over the last year in VAWG violent offences.  

COUNCIL: Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a priority for Waltham Forest.  Our VAWG team deliver events and training to increase awareness about this issue. This includes our bystander intervention which is free for residents and empowers everyone to become allies to women and girls and develop the tools and strategies they need to safely challenge harmful behaviour and attitudes we see in our communities. We also encourage residents to use our Safe Streets app to report street harassment. Available to download on both iPhone and Android, the app helps the borough identify areas for targeted outreach and enforcement. Users can report concerns or seek support, either anonymously or by leaving their details for follow-up. For further information on our VAWG service you can contact us at vawg@walthamforest.gov.uk or you can download the safe streets app here.

7. KNIFE CRIME: What is being done to tackle knife crime? How many arrests have been made? 

POLICE: Our officers actively patrol their wards and areas, using police powers including Stop and Search. This tactic has resulted in knives being removed from the streets with arrests and charges. This is an ongoing tactic and fundamental to keeping the public safe. From a preventative aspect, officers regularly visit schools and engage with students re the dangers of knife crime and offer prevention. Operation Safer Routes, a council led police supported scheme has recently launched where volunteers patrol school routes and break down barriers with school children and young people, ensuring any relevant information is passed to police to act upon. Neighbourhood Police Team Teams are regularly supported by colleagues from the Territorial Support Group and Pro-Active Syndicates with weapons sweeps and knife arch operations, these take place on a weekly basis as standard.  

COUNCIL: Keeping young people safe from knife crime is one of the Council’s key missions and we’re working across partners to deliver a comprehensive package of initiatives aimed at preventing violence and exploitation. We have recently undertaken a comprehensive review of our partnership approach to tackling knife crime and strengthening our collective efforts to safeguard children and young people. One key initiative emerging from this work is the expansion of Safe Spaces across the borough - a direct response to what young people told us. Through engagement, they highlighted the need for accessible, supportive environments throughout the local authority where they can seek guidance, feel protected, and build trust. These spaces are helping to foster a greater sense of safety and belonging. Further information on the wide range of work we're involved in can be found in our 'keeping young people safe from violence' strategy.

8. SAFER ROUTES: What is the council doing to make walking routes, especially around schools, safer for children and young people? 

COUNCIL: Safer Routes was launched in January 2025 as a new pilot programme co-designed with young people to improve safety on the journey home from school, college, or sixth form. Running during peak hours (3–6pm), the initiative places trained youth workers along key walking routes near schools across the borough. These trusted adults are there to offer support, guidance, or simply a friendly chat - helping young people feel safer and more connected in their communities. Safer Routes is part of a wider package of social, emotional, and practical support we’re delivering in partnership with local organisations across educational, community, and sports settings. Together, we’re working to build a borough where every young person feels safe, supported, and heard. To learn more about Safer Routes, email: communitysafety@walthamforest.gov.uk 

9. CCTV: How many CCTV cameras do we have in the borough? How can they be used and how do you decide on their locations?  

COUNCIL: There are over 1,000 council-installed CCTV cameras at locations across the borough with locations informed by local crime and anti-social behaviour data alongside resident insight. We have also invested over a £1 million in updating our state-of-the-art CCTV facilities which are staffed 24/7, every day of the year. Sixty of our cameras are re-deployable so can be moved to new areas as new anti-social behaviour, environmental issues and crimes emerge. They are time restricted due to demand across the borough and not a permanent solution. We also have a live stream direct to the police borough control room so they can see images in real time. CCTV plays a role in tackling crime and anti-social behaviour but is only one part of our much wider approach to tackling crime and anti-social behaviour which includes a combination of prevention, enforcement and community-led approaches. 

10. POLICE UPDATES: Where can the public find updates on high-profile crimes or on crimes they’ve reported? What factors do the police consider when sharing information during an active investigation?

POLICE: We encourage the public to go to https://www.metengage.co.uk/ to receive regular, local updates from the Met Police. You will be updated directly on crimes you report yourself, or to receive updates about high-profile cases across London go to https://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/metpoliceuk 

When sharing information regarding an active investigation we have to consider the victim’s needs, and legal obligations around disclosure of information. 

11. COMMUNICATIONS: What is being done to make the public aware of the actions the council and police are taking to address crime and ASB? Not all residents are on Facebook. 

The best way to receive updates from the council and police is to sign up to our e-newsletters. The Council has Residents News which goes out weekly, as well as the Community Safety Newsletter which goes out once a month. We also have a WhatsApp channel. The Police have Met Engage which will send you updates depending on your location. 

If you prefer to talk to officers in person, each ward has ward panels throughout the year hosted by the local neighbourhood policing team.

12. POLICE COUNTERS: The public counter at Chingford Police station needs to stay operational. How do we make this happen? 

POLICE: Chingford’s Front Office is closing this month. Any decisions to close police station counters in Waltham Forest are not taken locally and subject to direction centrally.   

Just 5 percent of crimes were reported using front counters last year, with only 1 percent of these being made during the night.  

Londoners tell us they want to see more officers on our streets. The decision to reduce and close front counters; including Chingford, will save £7 million and 3752 hours of police officer time per month allowing us to focus resources relentlessly on tackling crime. 

The  Metropolitan Police Service’s Turnaround Plan 2023-25 committed to strengthening the Neighbourhoods policing teams to better understand local problems and to engage more closely within communities.  This includes an uplift in staffing across Neighbourhood policing which is currently underway. 

13. HOT SPOTS: Do the police use software to map time and place of crime to task police patrols in an effective way? 

POLICE: We use analytics to establish hot spots and crime patterns to Taylor our patrol times accordingly.  

The data is discussed with plans formalised/reviewed internally at the tactical tasking coordination group and externally at monthly multi-agency Problem Solving Partnership meetings. 

14. HOMELESSNESS: What is being done to tackle homelessness especially around stations. I have sympathy for these people but it makes the area feel unsafe, especially after dark.  

COUNCIL: The Council’s approach is to offer support to the homeless by referring to Street Link and where appropriate drugs and alcohol service CGL. In addition, we work with the housing team and relevant agencies who provide support and carryout relevant assessments.  

For the small cohort of entrenched homeless that don’t engage, we have a staged approach, warning, where evidence is witnessed of individuals involved in criminality or ASB, appropriate enforcement action is taken. This could be informal actions such as community protection notices or formal actions like Civil injunctions.  

15. CRIME DATA: Where can I find statistics on local crime trends? 

Relevant policing statistics in terms of reporting, outcome rate and areas can be found via https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/  

The data covers all 12 BCU's across the Metropolitan Police Service and can be broken down into borough, ward, offence type and detection rate.