Sutton is consistently one of the safest boroughs in London and overall crime in the London Borough of Sutton continues to fall – with a 5.2 per cent drop during 2012-13 compared with the previous year. That‟s more than 600 fewer victims of crime. Crime has fallen by a total of 30.3 per cent since 2005 when the Safer Sutton Partnership Service was set up as a joint police and council team to manage the borough‟s community safety services based at Sutton Police station. To combat crime in the borough‟s town centres and incidents arising from drinking in licensed premises, police and council officers have been working closely with clubs, pubs and retailers to make sure they are complying with the licensing laws.
The results are good news for the borough. We are carrying out operations and arrests every day to keep Sutton a safe borough. The increase in residential burglary and motor vehicle crimes was disappointing – and were the result of an unprecedented surge in criminals travelling into the borough and other South West London boroughs during last autumn targeting gold jewellery.
Sutton has seen a huge increase in the number of residents joining Neighbourhood Watch – with membership almost doubling over the last year to 2,760 members – with one ward – Wandle Valley – being the first in the Met to have a NHW co-ordinator in every street in their area. Officers from Safer Neighbourhoods Teams are actively working with NHW to recruit new members.
Police operations have resulted in many arrests which have reduced the impact these criminals are making in Sutton. Sutton is known throughout London as a borough where the police and Sutton Council along with other organisations like registered social landlords, businesses and NHW, work closely together to make local communities safer. “We are determined to continue to work with Sutton Council through the Safer Sutton Partnership Service to make Sutton even safer for the benefit of everyone who lives, works or visits the borough.
Guy Ferguson
Borough Commander, Police