Issue - meetings

Report attached.

The report before Members presented the activity of the Havering Joint Task Force, agreed under S.92 of the Police Act 1996, in their first 6 months of operation in Havering.

Launched in January 2020, the Havering Joint Task Force consisted of one

sergeant and five constables.

Tasked regularly by the Council to address a range of issues across the borough and continuing to focus on tackling the identified Havering Priorities in their first 6 months of operation the team have arrested 104 individuals, including the boroughs most wanted Burglary suspect, and recovered 45 stolen vehicles with an estimated value in excess of £1million.

As a unit the Havering Joint Task Force currently stopped and searched more people and vehicles than any other in Havering. Since its formation, the Task Force had conducted 279 stop and searches, accounting for 20% of the boroughs total number of 1,365 stop and searches.

The report also detailed the areas in which arrests had been made including residential burglaries, drug supply/possession and possession of offensive weapons.

Members noted the success of Operation Gambler which was a cross border initiative with Essex Police, which took place two nights a month. This operation targeted those criminals who crossed the  Havering/Essex border with the sole intention of committing crime. The team specifically targeted high harm offenders such as gang nominal, habitual knife carriers, robbers, burglars and drug dealers.

Also noted was the success of Operation Columbia which targeted a group of young burglars that had been identified by Essex Police. It was established that this group of males were predominantly all from Havering. The team not only identified these males at numerous crimes they made 10 arrests for residential burglary offences. The team also found numerous stolen vehicles across Havering which were linked to the group. A successful operation saw several males given custodial sentences.

Members also noted that the Task Force regularly used social media to promote good new stories which led to an increase in public confidence that the partnership was targeting areas of public concern.

In response to a question relating to funding Members were advised that the Council only funded the 5 police constables.

In response to q question regarding the “drifting” problem that was occurring in the south of the borough officers advised that investigations were taken place including looking at re-surfacing the road with a high friction surface. Investigations in to introducing a PSPO were also ongoing.

The Sub-Committee noted the contents of the report.