The External Scrutiny Committee met on Monday 6 July 2026 to discuss the Metropolitan Police's performance, including crime statistics, abstractions, and the impact of the Tough Choices programme. The committee also reviewed its forward plan for the upcoming year.

Metropolitan Police Update

Acting Superintendent Mo Mahmood and Inspector Matthew Ross from the Metropolitan Police presented an update on their work in Redbridge. They highlighted a generally positive picture across neighbourhood crime categories, with notable reductions in antisocial behaviour, person robbery, and theft from persons. Positive outcome rates have also seen significant improvements.

Key points discussed included:

• Crime Performance: Overall neighbourhood crime has seen a 10% reduction compared to the previous year, and a 55% reduction over a two-year period. Antisocial behaviour is down 20% in the last reporting period, with a 50% reduction over two years. Robbery has seen a 33% year-to-date reduction.
• Operational Activities: Operations such as Operation Burleigh have targeted theft from persons, leading to over 26 convictions. Shoplifting is being tackled through enhanced business connections and the use of Criminal Behaviour Orders. Drug operations have also led to significant charges and prison sentences.
• Challenges and Resourcing: The Metropolitan Police faces a £125 million funding gap, leading to difficult decisions as a shrinking organisation. Abstractions, where officers are deployed outside of Redbridge for other duties, continue to present operational pressures, with Redbridge being in the bottom quarter of boroughs most impacted. This is often due to significant events, protests, and national security incidents.
• Partnership Working: The police emphasised the importance of partnership working with Redbridge Council and other agencies to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. They highlighted joint tasking processes, the use of community protection orders, and collaboration on initiatives like the Op Aura system for retail crime reporting.
• Future Plans: The police outlined future plans including a focus on violence reduction, violence against women initiatives, and a consistent approach to antisocial behaviour. They are also involved in a Home Office initiative, OPPORUS, to address knife crime in Ilford Town.

Questions from Councillors focused on:

• Impact of Resourcing Changes: Councillors sought to understand how central resourcing decisions affect local partnership arrangements and service delivery, particularly regarding the loss of specialist roles like licensing officers and faith officers.
• Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs): Questions were raised about the enforcement of PSPOs, particularly concerning street harassment, and the potential for renewing lapsed orders in the west of the borough.
• Hate Crime: Concerns were raised about the reported increase in hate crime and the measures being taken to address it, including accurate recording and community reassurance.
• Police Abstractions: The drivers behind abstraction demands and their impact on local policing were discussed, with clarification sought on whether Redbridge is a net importer or exporter of abstracted officers during events like local elections.
• Crime Statistics and Public Perception: Councillors questioned how crime statistics are measured, the sustainability of improvements, and how to address the perception that crime is higher than statistics suggest, particularly among vulnerable groups.
• Reporting Systems and Confidence: The committee explored the effectiveness of crime reporting systems and steps being taken to improve confidence and encourage more residents to come forward.
• Shoplifting: Specific questions were asked about the prevalence of shoplifting in areas beyond Ilford Town Centre and the strategies being employed to tackle it.
• Partnership Priorities: Councillors sought to identify key priorities for strengthening partnership working between the Metropolitan Police and Redbridge Council in the coming months.

The committee also reviewed its forward plan for the upcoming year, noting proposed discussions with Transport for London, the Environment Agency, and Thames Water on various service-related issues. Councillor Sachs suggested adding bus performance to the forward plan.

The next meeting of the External Scrutiny Committee was scheduled for 30 November 2026.