Friday 18th October 2024- ASB Walkabout with Natasha Irons MP

On Friday, 18th October 2024, Natasha Irons arranged a local walkabout for residents with a senior officer of Croydon Met Police, alongside Addiscombe West Neighbourhood Police Team and local Councillors Patricia Hay-Justice, Clive Fraser and Sean Fitzsimons.

Due to safety concerns, the number of residents was restricted, but Natasha’s office worked hard to ensure that the area around East Croydon was represented correctly by local voices.

Residents made the case to Natasha and the senior police officers that many felt the Crime and Anti-Social behaviour had got worse since COVID-19, and many streets were now suffering from open drug dealing and drug taking, which they had never faced before. There was praise for the local police team, but concerns that they were under-resourced and were frequently abstracted to work outside the local area.

Residents wanted more visible local policing and for the Croydon Police to give the area a greater priority. Many residents wanted some of the perpetrators to get help with their drug and health issues. The police stated that they would put more resources into this.

Natasha Irons continues to support residents on this issue. Please get in touch with her about your concerns.

The Addiscombe West Safer Neighbourhood Team has updated their website with the priorities and actions following the walkabout.
Contact details for Addiscombe West Safer Neighbourhood Team
Addiscombe West | Your area | Metropolitan Police | Metropolitan Police

• Priority 1:

  Reducing Violent Crime as a Pan London objective working in conjunction with local residents and businesses to focus on hotspots areas and identified individuals

  Action taken:

  High visibility patrols with partner agencies and female members of the public.
  Arrest Enquiries for wanted offenders with arrests made.

  Priority 2:

  Numerous residents have raised concerns regarding the number of antisocial issues arising linked to drug use. There were matters regarding the behaviour of drug users impacting residents and impacting the local community.

  Action taken:

  Officers have worked hard with Project Adder in relation to working closely with charities in relation to referals for substance abuse users and this has seen a small number of positive actions through some individuals not returning and causing issues.
  The SNT have also worked with Croydon council to ensure a large commercial property has been secured which has dramatically reduced the number of drug users and issues linked to the property from occurring still.

  The officers have also issued Community Protection Notices to individuals which reduces their ability to return to areas whereby they have been involved in drug use/supply

  The team are also in the process of obtaining and executing warrants linked to drugs.

• Priority 3:

  The issue of shoplifting has been brought to the teams attention with one specific shop being the victim of a number of incidents in the last three months.

  Action taken:

  officers are now taking on all the shoplifting offences at the specific targetted venue which is in the top three shoplifting venues in Croydon and are in the process or carrying out arrest enquires and identifying a group involved in repeat offending. Officers have issued Community Protection Notices to those involved whilst also working with the stores to improve their own security methods.