The Community Safety Board convened for its inaugural meeting, establishing its terms of reference and work programme for the year ahead. Key discussions focused on the comprehensive services offered by the Community Safety Unit, including CCTV, gangs, violence and exploitation, emergency planning, the Law Enforcement Team, and the Anti-Social Behaviour Unit. The board also reviewed performance reports and agreed to a forward plan that prioritises in-depth scrutiny of two major reports per meeting and incorporates local evidence-gathering sessions.

Community Safety Unit Services

Justin Hunt, Interim Assistant Director of Community Safety, provided an overview of the Hammersmith and Fulham's Community Safety Unit, highlighting its extensive services aimed at reducing crime, anti-social behaviour, violence, and exploitation. The unit encompasses the Law Enforcement Team, CCTV Service, Gangs, Violence and Exploitation Unit, Community Safety Team, Anti-Social Behaviour Unit, Prevent Team, and Emergency Planning Service. Significant investment has been made in areas such as the CCTV network, violence reduction programmes, and services tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), exploitation, and hate crime.

CCTV

The council operates one of the largest CCTV networks in the UK, with approximately 2,300 cameras across the borough, providing 24/7 monitoring. A £3.2 million investment in advanced CCTV technologies, including AI modules for knife detection, aggressive behaviour recognition, and facial recognition, is underway. Councillor Jeremy Maddocks raised questions about the practicalities of camera monitoring, operational staffing levels, and the potential for additional cameras in specific areas like King's Road. Mr. Hunt explained that while detailed figures weren't immediately available, a minimum of three operatives work in the CCTV room at any time, and the AI enhancement programme aims to improve proactive detection. Councillor David Campbell inquired about the AI's potential for discrimination, and Mr. Hunt clarified that the AI for knife and aggressive behaviour detection is less prone to bias than facial recognition, which is still under exploration.

Gangs, Violence and Exploitation Unit (GVEU)

The GVEU supports young people aged 10-25 involved in or at risk of gang activity and exploitation. The unit comprises council professionals and police officers, and its workstreams include investigations, intelligence capture, multi-agency case conferencing, and educational engagement. As of June 2026, outreach workers had supported 215 young people, with the Projects team delivering 345 sessions to 3,000 individuals and 125 training sessions to 4,500 individuals. The unit has also secured significant funding from the Violence Reduction Unit.

Emergency Planning Service

The Emergency Planning team ensures the borough is prepared for major emergencies. Their workstreams include preparedness and readiness, conducting exercises, risk management through the multi-agency Borough Resilience Forum, and maintaining emergency plans. Recent multi-agency exercises have focused on surface water flooding and a terrorist attack scenario at Westfield.

Community Safety Team

This team provides the strategic framework for community safety, overseeing policy development, strategy, and commissioning of services, including VAWG, Modern Slavery and Exploitation, and Hate Crime. Key workstreams include commissioning community safety contracts, developing and enforcing Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs), and area-based problem-solving. The team also oversees the delivery of the VAWG Strategy 2022-2027, working with partners like the Angelou Partnership and Advance.

Law Enforcement Team (LET)

The Law Enforcement Team (LET) focuses on driving down environmental crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB). The team comprises dedicated officers for each ward, supported by a borough-wide night and support team. Between January and June 2026, the LET significantly increased its patrol activity by 71.2%, outstripping the 15.0% rise in service requests. This increased visibility, particularly in Highways, District Centres, housing estates, and parks, is attributed to the adoption of a new mobile app that allows officers to spend more time in the field. The LET also conducts joint operations with partners and supports vulnerable individuals experiencing homelessness. Councillor Maddocks raised concerns about the LET's powers regarding drug use and the number of weapon sweeps, which have decreased. Mohammed Basith, Law Enforcement Manager, explained that while drug dealing is a police matter, LET officers gather evidence and deter activity. He acknowledged the reduction in weapon sweeps and committed to increasing this activity.

Anti-Social Behaviour Unit (ASBU)

The ASBU investigates high-risk ASB, harassment, hate incidents, hate crime, and cuckooing, adopting a victim-centred, risk-based approach. The unit has seen a 141% increase in its caseload over three years, with a significant rise in complex cases involving hate crime, cuckooing, and exploitation. Despite this increased complexity, the ASB Unit maintained strong response times and delivered 173 enforcement interventions in 2025/26, including injunctions and closure orders. Customer satisfaction surveys indicated a need for improvement in communication and expectation management, particularly within the Housing North and South teams. Miguel Javelot, ASBU Manager, highlighted the unit's leading work nationally on cuckooing prevention and risk management.

Prevent

The Prevent team works to safeguard individuals from radicalisation and extremism as part of the government's counter-terrorism strategy. They deliver training to council staff and the education sector, engage with communities, and assess local risks. Councillor Umeh inquired about the usefulness of Prevent training for councillors, and it was confirmed that such training is intended to be offered.

Forward Plan and Work Programme

The board discussed the proposed Forward Plan for the 2026/27 municipal year. Members agreed to limit each meeting to a maximum of two substantial reports to allow for more in-depth scrutiny. Councillor Daly proposed introducing local evidence sessions to gather direct feedback from residents and frontline partners, which was met with enthusiasm. The plan includes future discussions on estate safety, VAWG, LET effectiveness, exploitation and organised crime, youth violence, CCTV and AI, licensing, and an overview of community safety finances. The next meeting is scheduled for 16 November 2026.

Police Partnership

Superintendent Grewal provided an overview of neighbourhood policing and its integration with the wider partnership. He detailed the structure of Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs) and highlighted the monthly Community Crime Fighting meetings where police and council colleagues review crime data, identify hotspots, and develop joint deployment plans. He shared data on theft from persons, showing hotspots in Westfield and Hammersmith Broadway, and outlined collaborative efforts with the LET to address these issues. The Superintendent also confirmed that police are using live facial recognition technology in the borough.

Other Discussions

Councillor Maddocks raised a question regarding the LET's powers to act against illegal drug use, which Mr. Basith clarified. Discussions also touched upon the collaboration between various council departments, including Housing, LET, ASBU, and Adult Social Care, to manage complex cases. The effectiveness of closure notices and closure orders was also discussed, with acknowledgement of the delays in court proceedings post-COVID. The board also heard about the council's proactive approach to tackling cuckooing and the support provided to victims.

The meeting concluded with thanks to the officers and partners for their work and contributions.