The First Response
Team
Our First Response Team gathers
information about anti-social behaviour and associated crime in
Newham.
We assess localised area and specific 'people' issues
where behaviour appears to be causing harassment, alarm or
distresses to an individual or several in the community at large.
We focus on assessing the exact nature of the main problem, collate
the necessary material and complaints, together with information
from other sources and then analyse the anti-social behaviour and
any linked criminal matters.
We do this to make sure that the relevant resources are able to
target the right people and places at the best possible time to
have some positive effect on the situation.
We initially filter all relevant information and attempt to
identify possible underlying causes and seek solutions, including
directing uniformed patrols to a persistent problem area to either
enforce or gather further perpetrator information for future
action.
Other measures can include ensuring victim support or arranging
for conflict and change mediation services to provided to
vulnerable residents and neighbours in dispute where the matter is
not suitable for the police. Our aim is to avoid unnecessary
enforcement measures by preventing matters from escalating to
criminal behaviour and possibly affecting other people.
Where such varied first response interventions and advice are
ineffective, we forward all known witness and perpetrator details
along with other useful information through to the Enforcement and
Investigation team to enable further gathering evidence and
possible enforcement action through the courts as is necessary.
Most of the work undertaken by the team requires us to work
closely with other agencies such as the Metropolitan Police, Social
Landlords and Environmental Health Officers.
Issues that the team assess and try to solve or refer to the
enforcement team include:
- Disorder and anti-social behaviour from gangs/groups of
people
- Nuisance neighbours
- Ball games in unsuitable areas
- Harassment including race hate crime and homophobic
harassment
- Nuisance behaviour in public areas such as threats, graffiti,
damage to property
- Crack houses and drug-related anti-social behaviour
Street prostitution and related anti-social behaviour