Following persistent lobbying from Orpington 1st Business Improvement District (BID) for an increased police presence, Orpington’s Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) has been increased from four active officers to seven.
SNTs are groups of Met Police officers dedicated to serving communities, working closely with local partners to decide policing priorities in respective wards. The SNT for the Orpington ward - which now consists of 1 Sergeant, 5 PCs, and 1 PCSO - has a focus on Orpington High Street, recognising the important role town centres play in communities, the impact of business crime, and the level of antisocial behaviour that can occur in higher footfall areas.
Orpington 1st BID Executive Director Chris Travers said, “We’re pleased that the Met have responded to the calls of our business community, and we look forward to further developing our Business Crime Reduction Partnership.”
Met Police Inspector Stuart Baker, said “The Met is committed to strengthening neighbourhood policing, and the uplift in officers for the Orpington ward will increase the policing presence within the high street, deterring and responding to crime and providing reassurance to the community at large. We value our ongoing partnership with Orpington 1st
BID, and officers will continue to work closely with businesses to gather intelligence, and to identify and target offenders.”
Photo (l-r) PCSO Matt Lane, PC Ryan Kressinger, Sgt Alex Farmer, PC Gary Wolfe, PC Victoria Mason, PC Andrea Chittenden.
The pressure on resources over the last decade has meant officers are often called to incidents beyond their patch. As other Met roles across the capital are filled, fewer abstractions are anticipated, and businesses and residents should expect to see more officers on the beat over the coming weeks. Indeed, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has pledged an increased focus on community policing, saying, "We will have the strongest ever neighbourhood policing. Community policing is the Met's foundation – we are a local police service.”
Orpington 1st BID Businesses are eligible for free membership to Orpington Businesses Against Crime (OBAC), providing access to the secure online information sharing system and mobile phone app. Businesses which have not yet signed are encouraged to do so.
Contact Orpington 1st on 01689 829 527 or info@orpington1st.co.uk
