Mayor Sadiq Khan on Friday joined a police patrol in Westminster as the Met cracks down on hotspots for violence and antisocial behaviour.
Under Operation Nightingale police are targeting areas blighted by criminals and increasing the numbers of officers on the streets.
The operation, supported by City Hall and funded by the Home Office, is being run by the Met’s Violent Crime Task Force with the help of locals.
Each ‘Nightingale hotspot’ across London also receives a combination of expert support, funding for area specific problem-solving and additional patrols.
The Mayor was in Church Street ward in Edgware Road where Met Commander Heydari explained the force’s tactics in tackling violent crime.
The Nighthgale operation has resulted in 1,040 arrests across London, with 51 knives, 11 firearms and 40 other offensive weapons recovered since the start of the operation in July 2022.
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and the Mayor of London are committed to strengthening neighbourhood policing and continuing with work to restore and enhance the relationships between local officers and residents to make communities safer.
The Mayor said:“Nothing is more important to me than keeping Londoners safe and I’m determined to work closely with the Met to build on the significant reductions in violence, murders and robberies we have seen in our city over the past year. This is needed now more than ever as the impact of the cost-of-living crisis threatens to jeopardise the progress being made.
“London’s communities are the eyes and ears of the police and their relationship with our local neighbourhood officers is absolutely pivotal to tackling violence, anti-social behaviour and keeping our communities safe.”
Commander Heydari added: “Strong neighbourhood policing is at the heart of everything we do at the Metropolitan Police Service. We have a duty to not only protect the public but to also provide a visible and effective police presence in communities, which is critical to delivering more trust and less crime across London.
“We are rolling out the latest thinking and tactics – such as this Operation Nightingale – to tackle anti-social behaviour, neighbourhood crime and violent crime. This work, alongside traditional police activity, will mean we are relentless in fighting crime in every neighbourhood and local area, with the help of experts and partners.”
