Drug-dealing, prostitution and burglary topped the agenda as officers in Hounslow faced the public to find out why satisfaction with local police is so low.
Only 61% of people living in Heston , Cranford and Osterley have confidence in police, according to surveys, which is the lowest rate of any neighbourhood in the borough.
Police teamed up with community safety and enforcement officers from Hounslow Council on Wednesday (February 24) to hold a community action day in a bid to address that worrying statistic.
Having already flooded the streets with officers and executed a number of warrants, they met members of the community to ask what people thought police could be doing better.
About two dozen members of the public attended a Q&A session that afternoon with officers at the community centre in Convent Way, Southall.
Police took on board suggestions as well as explaining what was already being done and how the public could help officers.
Issues raised
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one man asked why more was not being done to stamp out spitting and littering. A council enforcement officer said it was stepping up action and had issued 360 fines to culprits across the borough in December and 410 so far this year
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several people raised the issue of drug-dealing. Police said they had executed a number of search warrants in response to public complaints, and were trying to secure a 'Public Services Protection Order' to tackle drug-dealing and prostitution in Wentworth Road and Convent Way, Southall
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one woman complained about late night alcohol sales, which she said contributed to anti-social behaviour. Police urged the public to report any issues as that information could be used to prevent new premises from opening or to review the alcohol licences of existing shops, pubs, clubs and restaurants
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one woman reported how burglars had tried unsuccessfully to access her property by posing as police, and when the real officers turned up she was told there was nothing they could do . Police apologised for the way the matter was handled. They said they planned to meet managers at Heston Services to discuss how to better secure Phoenix Way and North Hyde Lane, which are used by burglars to make a quick getaway
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several people complained about street prostitution in Hayes Road, Southall . Police said most of the women were victims who had been trafficked from Eastern Europe. They said they were trying to crack down on the traffickers but this was difficult as the prostitutes were often too scared to give details
Chief Inspector Jon Kennedy told those gathered: "We have got to try to get the community on board and to understand what are the issues you as a community have with us. I don't think there are many but I think there are a few things you're not happy about.
"I think as you can see from this meeting we do quite a bit. There's more we can do but obviously there's quite a bit we do that you're unaware of. If you knew more about what we do I think you would be reassured."
CI Kennedy said he was keen to get more people signed up to the police messaging service Neighbourhood Link and to make better use of Twitter and Facebook to engage with the public.
He also revealed he had recently made his neighbourhood policing teams more flexible so officers from one ward could attend non-urgent calls in another ward, rather than being confined to policing their own ward.
