Honours for Youth Engagement Team's work in stemming youth crime... but there’s trouble ahead
Police commended for successful project with young people, while council slashes funding
Published: 12th November, 2010
by TERRY MESSENGER
A TEAM of police and youth workers helping young people to escape lives of crime was honoured at an awards ceremony this week – despite being lined up for the chop by Islington Council.
Borough police chiefs paid tribute to the Youth Engagement Team at the force’s annual commendation ceremony on Monday.
The team was set up jointly by the police and council two years ago to steer young people away from crime and support young victims, with particular emphasis on combating violence.
Chief Inspector Claire Clark presented a commendation to the four police members of the team as council chiefs, who plan to withdraw funding for the project, sat uneasily in the front row.
Chief Insp Clark said: “The Youth Engagement Team was formed at a time when there were three high profile murders in Islington of young men.
“In the past year they have worked in partnership with other agencies, looking at innovative ways in bringing about a reduction in the number of young people becoming perpetrators and victims of crime.
“I’d like to commend the Youth Engagement Team for making a significant contribution to reducing serious violence across Islington.”
Labour council leader Catherine West, Mayor Mouna Hamitouche, and executive member for community safety Councillor Barbara Sidnell joined in the applause – despite earmarking the borough’s £100,000 contribution for the chop.
They heard the chief inspector heap praise on initiatives by the joint police and council team, including:
- Shared intelligence on the formation of youth gangs;
- Home visits to teenage criminals to offer advice on keeping out of trouble;
- A support service which has helped 200 young victims of crime overcome their trauma;
- Operation Staysafe, which identifies vulnerable young people out late at night and returns them to their homes.
In contrast to the police commendation, the council chiefs plan to “decommission” their contribution to the Youth Engagement Team as part of budget savings imposed by the government.
Unless cash is found from elsewhere, that would mean withdrawing the two council staff from the team.
Speaking to the Tribune after the ceremony, Cllr Sidnell said: “Very good work has been done in this borough in last couple of years with youth engagement. Youth crime, knife crime and gun crime have come down in the borough
“The idea that we have to cut anything is horrendous but the government has left us no option.”
Cllr Sidnell suggested that the police could find the money to compensate for the council’s proposed withdrawal of funding.
She said: “If they think so highly of it, would they not find the money to keep it going?”
But Jan Tucker, who chairs Islington’s Community Safety Board, a liaison body between police and public, told the Tribune: “The council has got its priorities wrong.
“I know there has to be cutbacks but youth crime is one of the most important problems to tackle.”
In total, 19 commendations were conferred at Monday’s ceremony at the Honourable Artillery Company HQ in City Road.
Among those honoured were: civilian Claire Harvey, who talked a man out of setting light to his petrol soaked body; Police constables Dipesh Randerwala and Leona Nield, who saved the life of a stab victim; and police community support officer Stacey Griffin, who resuscitated an elderly lady who collapsed in the middle of busy Old Street Tube station, who was initially found to be without a pulse.