Crime Tackling Initiative

Crime Tackling Initiative Aims at Businesses In Ilford Town

Businesses in Ilford Town Centre will have the opportunity to participate in the new Ilford Town Against Crime initiative that is being launched in September.

This initiative is part of the broader Redbridge Business Against Crime Partnership (RedBAC), and by signing up, Ilford Town Centre businesses can take advantage of training on key issues relating to local crime, a helpline, photos and information about repeat offenders, as well as involvement with an additional scheme to exclude persistent offenders, free of charge.

In addition, through the Ilford Town Against Crime initiative, a radio link, which will connect businesses to the CCTV Unit in Ley Street, the Metropolitan Police and to each other, is also available. Eighty businesses in Ilford are already participating, and the BID team is keen to encourage more to join them.

"The more businesses that are involved, the more effective the scheme becomes,” said Neil Davis, Town Centre Manager. “We have arranged a membership discount for those that would like to be connected via radio, but there are also major benefits to the training, regular meetings and the receipt of information on crime in the local area, all of which is free of charge."

The aim of the Ilford Town Against Crime initiative is to reduce and prevent criminality and anti-social behaviour by reducing the opportunity to commit crime, to assist in catching offenders and reduce the fear caused by crime.

The team behind the Initiative is working closely with the Ilford Town Policing team. Inspector David Brewster, who heads this up, says:

“We know from other town centres where the scheme exists that there is a massive reduction in crime. The scheme is both preventative and proactive, making it more difficult for crimes to be committed and easier for us to apprehend and prosecute offenders. We would encourage as many businesses in the town centre to get involved: it will have tangible benefits that will have a positive effect on the whole of the Town Centre.”