MPS launches new platform to update Londoners on local policing

Officers will use ‘Met Engage’ to provide communities with crime prevention advice, information about local events and meetings, updates on ongoing incidents and investigations, and information about successful outcomes and operations.

The MPS says neighbourhood policing is at “the forefront” of the its work to deliver “more trust, less crime and high standards”, with communities telling the force they want to be more connected to their local policing teams.

Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “Every day, officers and staff across the Met are out tackling the crimes that really affect people – things like shoplifting, phone theft and burglary. Their crime-fighting is making a difference and we’re seeing large reductions in these types of offences in London.

“But real progress means more than just numbers going in the right direction – it means working with communities, not just policing them.

“Met Engage is about having a two-way conversation. It’s a way for people to stay informed with precise local updates, to tell us what is most important to them and to challenge misinformation. It’s about shaping policing together and I would encourage everyone to sign-up.”

People who sign up to the email service will be asked to complete a survey, where they will be able to select where they live and choose the type of alerts they would like to be informed about. This means the messages they receive will be specifically tailored to them.

Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Kaya Comer-Schwartz, said: “I am pleased to see the launch of Met Engage. Both the mayor and I have been clear that neighbourhood policing is the bedrock of safer communities. By providing an easy way for Londoners to stay in touch with their local neighbourhood police teams, the Met are able to better respond to the needs of our communities.”

“Communication and partnership with communities is essential to the Met’s efforts to cut crime and increase public confidence. I am proud to say that City Hall has part funded Met Engage to bolster neighbourhood policing and drive down crime across the capital, building a safer London for everyone.

“Met Engage is a key part of the Met’s community-first approach, by providing a platform for people to raise concerns, while also being kept updated on the issues that matter most in their local area.

The MPS’s new neighbourhood policing model means that every borough now has an additional 500 staff ranging from superintendent to PCSOs, working closer with communities to understand their concerns and act upon them.

Local officers are using intelligence from residents and businesses to help shape policing priorities and reduce crime including shoplifting or anti-social behaviour.

“By relentlessly targeting the right areas and the right people, we can bring relief to communities blighted by crime and anti-social behaviour,” the MPS said.

Met Engage has been provided by VISAV Limited, a company that has produced similar products for other police forces across the UK.

The force stresses that while Met Engage will provide opportunities for the public to highlight issues, it is not a crime reporting tool and will not replace all the existing methods of reporting crime including the force website, calling 101 or 999 in an emergency.