Sydenham

Welcome to Met Engage,

We're transforming the Met to become a service that truly delivers for you.

Through our new platform Met Engage you can get to know your local officers, help shape how we police your local area and have direct access to key information and advice.

This isn't just a platform for us to tell you what we're doing in your area, it's an opportunity for you to tell us what's concerning you most so we can take action on the things that truly matter to you.

Sydenham Safer Neighbourhoods Team

Your Safer Neighbourhoods Team is a group of Met police officers dedicated to serving your community. The team is made up of officers based in your area or 'ward', supported by additional officers from the wider area.

We work closely with local authorities, community leaders and residents to decide our policing priorities for the area. This helps us to find useful, long-term solutions to local problems, while maintaining our wider focus on reducing crime across London.

To contact to your team about local policing issues, email us at Sydenham@contact.metengage.co.uk or pick an officer to email below. (Please do not use this contact method to report crime, in an emergency always call 999 or you can report crime online at www.met.police.uk or dial 101).

Gavin Durnell (Police, Inspector, Lewisham)

Gavin Durnell

Inspector

Isabel Fanawopo (Metropolitan Police, PC, Sydenham Ward)

Isabel Fanawopo

PC

Jamie Foreman (Police, Sergeant, Bellingham and Sydenham SNT)

Jamie Foreman

Sergeant

Ollie Lumley (Police, PC, Sydenham SNT)

Ollie Lumley

PC

Peter Okonji (Metropolitan Police, PCSO, Sydenham)

Peter Okonji

PCSO

Charlene Pavitt (Police, Superintendent, Lewisham)

Charlene Pavitt

Superintendent

Local Priority Issues

We are committed to tackling the issues that matter most to local communities. Based on our conversations with residents, and the issues they have raised with us, our main priorities are:

Priority Action taken

Violence with injury and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is a corporate, MPS wide priority.

Issued 30 June 2025

Violence with injury and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is a corporate, MPS wide priority. Previous Sydenham SNT action plan was to reduce the number of outstanding offenders on the ward. At the time of writing this the number of outstanding offenders is at zero (0).
Sydenham has recently been flagged as an emerging violence with injury and knife crime hotspot, due to a flurry of reports in the last month, three (3) known to have knives involved.
Actions:
SNT officers will increase patrols in the specific areas identified where offences have occurred to gather information to inform targeted stop and search action, and potential warrants. These actions will be reviewed on 30/09/2025.

Actioned 17 September 2025

Begging outside supermarkets.

Issued 30 June 2025

Identify the local beggars on Sydenham and identify their support i.e. support workers and housing.
Engage beggars and their support / housing to ascertain their needs to assist them into housing and away from harmful addictions and ASB.
Involve the local Council and providing temporary or permanent housing for affected persons.
Engage shop owners and advise to report begging drinking within their shops.
This will be reviewed by 30/09/2025.

Actioned 17 September 2025

Shops on SYDENHAM HIGH STREET have reported high levels of shoplifting in particular from a small number of prolific offenders.

Issued 30 June 2025

• Identify high incident patterns, include peak days, times and shops being targeted
• Conduct regular high visibility patrols across our ward.
• Execute covert operations
• Work closely with retailers and their staff to identify and disrupt the activity of repeat offenders

Actioned 17 September 2025

The word cloud below represents the issues raised by residents through their Local Matters survey. We take this into consideration along with discussions with stakeholders, ward panel meetings and conversations with the public when setting our key priorities

What members in Sydenham are saying are the issues in the area:

Latest Alerts

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OPERATION HELD IN SYDENHAM TO MAKE SOUTH EAST TRANSPORT HUBS SAFER

An operation involving the British Transport Police and Officers from the Metropolitan Police Lewish...

Metropolitan Police
09/09/2025 13:44:50

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BURGLARY SUSPECT CAUGHT AFTER MEMBER OF THE PUBLICS QUICK THINKING

Officers from the Lewisham area successfully arrested a burglary suspect on Sunday 7th September aft...

Metropolitan Police
09/09/2025 10:53:31

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SHOPLIFTING TRIO CHARGED FOR 63 OFFENCES AFTER STORE TARGETTED DAILY BY THIEVES

Local Lewisham officers have had success in catching a trio of shoplifters who have been targeting a...

Metropolitan Police
04/09/2025 12:14:31

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Local Priorities Drug dealing/ drug use Message

Dear Resident,I wanted to provide you with an update regarding drug dealing/ drug use, which people ...

Metropolitan Police
01/09/2025 18:14:41

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DEPTFORD COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER FOR THE GRAND RE-OPENING OF THE RIVERSIDE YOUTH CENTRE

Police officers from the Local Deptford area attended the grand opening of the new Riverside Youth C...

Metropolitan Police
22/08/2025 14:57:57

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LOCAL LEWISHAM POLICE TACKLE ILLEGAL E-BIKES SEIZING 10 WITHIN 2 HOURS

A local operation took place recently within the Lewisham area to tackle a wave of illegal E-Bikes t...

Metropolitan Police
21/08/2025 13:45:23

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SOUTH-EAST OFFICERS INVITED TO CELEBRATE RAKSHA BANDHAN WITH LOCAL HINDU COMMUNITY

Officers and leaders across the South-East policing teams come together on the 5th of August to help...

Metropolitan Police
18/08/2025 09:53:08

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Local Priorities Drug dealing/ drug use Message

Dear Resident,I wanted to provide you with an update regarding drug dealing/ drug use, which people ...

Metropolitan Police
16/08/2025 14:29:47

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Upcoming Events

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Ward Panel
  • The Grove Centre Church, 2 Jews Walk, SE26 6PL
  • 18/09/2025 19:00
  • Add to calendar

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