Think of the police. Think of who they are. Think of what they do. Regardless of your view on them, you probably envisioned at least one example of something exciting, something unordinary. This view is frequently reinforced by portrayals of exhilirating chases, and true-crime mysteries. Just as vital, though, is something rather more mundane: the relationship between police and community. One way this is bolstered is through locally-held community contact sesssions

Fighting crime is the police's primary objective, and that fight often manifests itself very literally - but in order for confrontation with criminals to occur effectively, communication is key. In a bustling, and ever-expanding metropolis, the police simply cannot rely on having ‘eyes in the back of their heads’, rather they often rely on the eyes of the public to identify disorder.

The police are a funny institution in a way because we never hope to encounter them. Even if you feel reassured when seeing a policeman, which is quite reasonable given the prevalence of crime, that situation is still undesirable, something has still gone wrong to warrant (excuse the pun) that state of mind. Yet, as crime rates are increasing, so too will our interaction with the police force - and this begs the question, how?

 

The number of recorded crimes in London, last year (ending June 2022) was 95.4 per 1,000 people (according to the office for national statistics - excludes fraud). The big eye-catchers are still exceptionally rare, even if on the rise. Most crime takes a ‘petty’ form, which may not require an immediate response. 

 

However, the police can still tackle this behaviour through a variety of less ‘showy’ methods. Given that it lacks the shock-factor of more serious crime, it is a necessity that members of the public come forward to inform them of actions like anti-social behaviour. It's crucial for our communities to also be tackling these less-serious crimes, which can often serve as catalysts to the more extreme. 

 

Community contact sessions provide this link: where the public has the chance to meet with an institution they rarely encounter, and discuss the community. They are literally what the name suggests, and occur regularly across a variety of areas. So, if you feel your neighbourhood could do with a bit more attention, why not pop in? 

Remember you can report crime by calling 101. Always call 999 if  someone is in danger.