Greenwich is set to significantly bolster its community safety efforts by nearly doubling the number of community safety enforcement officers patrolling town centres and housing estates. The move is part of a broader £4.356 million investment plan aimed at tackling crime and antisocial behaviour across the borough. This investment is part of a larger £60 million investment plan.

Councillor Rachel Taggart-Ryan, Cabinet Member Community Safety and Enforcement, detailed the plans during a recent Cabinet meeting, highlighting that the investment, funded by developer contributions, will enable a more visible presence on the streets.

Residents consistently tell us that crime and cracking down on antisocial behaviour in our borough is one of the top concerns that they want to see the council address, said Councillor Taggart-Ryan. The more resources we have, the more we can do the prevention and enforcement activities that we already know are effective in addressing these concerns and making us all feel safer in the borough.

The investment will fund:

  • An almost doubling of community safety enforcement officers in town centres and housing estates.
  • Two additional police officers embedded within integrated enforcement teams.
  • Upgrades to the CCTV network, including eight new mobile units.
  • Improved street lighting to enhance safety at night.
  • Expanded collaboration with the business community to combat shoplifting, including the rollout of new radio systems in Woolwich and Eltham town centres.
  • Targeted work to address violence against women and girls, including preventative measures and education programmes for men and boys.

While specific types of crime are not detailed, residents consistently express concerns about crime and antisocial behaviour, with shoplifting being one area of focus.

Councillor Taggart-Ryan emphasised the importance of preventative work, stating that the funding will allow the council to undertake projects to get us upstream into the preventative space, including identifying locations where women and girls feel unsafe and developing targeted solutions.

The decision to increase community safety enforcement was made during a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 15 October 2025, where the cabinet agreed to allocate specific resources to targeted service-based interventions and investments, as detailed in the Use of grants and one-off financial capacity report.