Recent stabbings paint a false picture of our areas

Published: 21 April, 2011

• WE would like to address residents’ concerns and alarmist headlines about recent stabbing incidents in Haverstock ward and also about public perceptions with regard to Queen’s Crescent in general. 

First, we would like to stress that Safer Neighbourhood policing in Gospel Oak and Haverstock wards has reduced overall reported crime year on year for the last five to six years, with Gospel Oak ward in particular showing close to the lowest crime rate in the borough. 

Second, recent incidents have been the result of tensions within youth groups and offer no threat to the community as a whole: police have a clear idea of who is responsible but are faced with a wall of silence from victims making it difficult to bring charges. 

Third, Haverstock and Gospel Oak SN teams have joined with Camden Council community safety agencies in stepping up their programme of regular meetings with representatives of local ethnic communities and residents’ associations in order to build bridges and reinforce communication.

Inevitably this work takes place behind the scenes. Yet we can reassure the community that there is also a policy of robust enforcement in place: a recently imposed dispersal notice empowers police at their discretion to disperse groups and to ask individuals from other wards or boroughs to leave the area immediately and not to return under threat of arrest. 

Additionally, young people under the age of 16 in breach of the dispersal order can be accompanied by police to their home addresses. Finally, over coming weeks extra police manpower has been brought into the area from Operation Curve, set up in partnership with Camden Council to prevent harm to young people while reducing serious youth violence.

We very much hope that the community will be reassured by these actions in process to support and increase community safety.

CHRIS FAGG 
Chair Gospel Oak Safer Neighbourhood Policing 
SIMON HORVAT-MARCOVIC 
Chair Haverstock Safer Neighbourhood Policing