More officers to join West End teams to tackle crime

This week, the Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, was out visiting officers who patrol the West End and tackle crime in one of our busiest areas.  From Mayfair and Marylebone to Covent Garden and Westminster, this patch of London is one of our busiest areas, always full of tourists and residents who are a tempting target for criminals. 

This summer we have been working hard to tackle the crime we see tick up over the warmer months, such as phone robbery, shoplifting and antisocial behaviour. However, we know that London residents want to feel safe going into central London. Thanks to our work in this area, alongside the Mayor’s Office, we have seen:

In the West End specifically the Met has reduced:  

At the same time, we are keen to make sure that our busiest areas have the resources they need. That is why we have announced that our West End crime team will be bolstered by up to an extra 80 officers so that they can relentlessly target prolific offenders as well as being visible and approachable to protect the public and deter criminals. 

While we continue to work hard to deliver a safer West End, we are also keen to hear from you on how we can do better. Yesterday we launched our new strategy: A New Met for London: Phase 2, which is our strategy for policing London over the next three years. The strategy is still in consultation, so please have a read and complete our survey to let us know what you think.