£1million investment to expand community safety patrols in Camden
Camden Council is investing £1million to recruit additional Community Safety Enforcement Officers to deter criminals and improve safety in the borough’s hotspot areas.
The officers will form dedicated town centre teams based in Holborn & Bloomsbury, Camden Town, and Kilburn. They will also be rapidly deployed to other areas across the borough as required.
With additional officers and uniformed patrols seven days a week in these areas, they will continue the council’s drive to clamp down on a wide range of issues including retail crime, anti-social behaviour, drug activity, and environmental crimes such as fly-tipping.
This investment brings the total number of officers up to 50, providing increased visibility across the rest of the borough and more resources to support residents in areas where issues may persist, including our estates.
Community Safety Enforcement Officers have a wide range of powers and can issue fines for offences such as illegal street trading, littering, fly-tipping, and public urination. They may have increased powers in areas with Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs).
The teams work in partnership with the police to gather intelligence and reduce crime. They also provide a uniformed presence to deter criminals and reassure communities.
The investment will also go towards more CCTV cameras and a new Camden Safety Bus.
Everyone deserves to feel safe at home or out in the community. This investment means we have more than tripled the number of our on-street visible officers over the last two years – who conduct targeted patrols in hotspot areas to steer away criminals and can be quickly deployed to take action and support our residents.
We know issues such as anti-social behaviour, drug activity, and fly-tipping have a serious impact on residents and visitors in Camden, and we’re committed to tackling this and working alongside the police to ensure a safer borough for everyone.
This is a key investment in our budget to keep Camden safe, clean and thriving. We’re prioritising tackling anti-social behaviour, and you’ll see more safety officers out on the streets and rapidly deployable to any area. You’ll also see new high-performance equipment keeping our neighbourhoods cleaner, meaning our busiest high streets will be safer, more pleasant and accessible for everyone.
The funding was agreed at Camden’s annual budget meeting on Monday 2 March, alongside other announcements to make every pound count and deliver the best possible services. Read the full budget details on our website.