North London police squad cracks violent crime
ON TOP OF CRIME: Tough Estates Team on horseback
By Tim Dickens
A TOUGH police unit designed to crackdown on crime is turning the tide on crooks who made certain Enfield Estates no-go zones for residents.
The Safer Neighbourhood Estates Team was the first of its type in the UK when it was formed in 2007 by Enfield Council and Police.
Over their two year quest to clean the streets of illegal activity, the unit has collared 197 criminals for violent and persistent crimes such as rape, burglary, drug dealing and car theft.
One police sergeant, two police constables and nine police community support officers form the team which regularly patrols the most crime-ridden areas of the borough.
The team, which is partly funded by Enfield Council, strives to crackdown on drug-taking, criminal damage and other anti-social behaviour at notorious estates across the borough through their high visibility approach.
Enfield Council cabinet member for housing and community safety, Matthew Laban, praised the hard work of officers involved during a tour of inspection last Thursday on the Elsinge Estate in Bullsmore Lane, Enfield.
He said: “We were the first council in the country to create this team, and it is excellent that crime has been reduced in targeted areas.
“Of course there is still much to do, however they have made a great start in helping the council realise its ambition to make Enfield the safest borough in London.”
The Estates team works alongside 21 Safer Neighbourhoods teams across Enfield, which carry out a range of hands-on initiatives to cut the levels of street crime.
Borough-wide figures show that violent crime has fallen by 20.7 per cent compared to the year 2007/2008, the largest reduction in London. The overall level of reported crime fell by 6.6 per cent.
Acting Chief Inspector Ian Clark, from Enfield Police, said: “The Safer Neighbourhood Estates team is an asset to policing in Enfield. They deal with a wide variety of issues and are of great help to the other safer neighbourhoods teams.
