Ilford assigned new police officers
Residents claim a man was stabbed in the throat and died. - Credit: Archant
Ilford has been given some shiny new police officers.
Three police recruits have joined a “demand team” which is made up of six officers who can be deployed “as and when” around different parts of Ilford to help out.
The new starters are in addition to the town’s Safer Neighbourhood officers in Loxford, Clementswood, Valentines, and Ilford Town, which each have two Pcs and one PCSO assigned to their individual regions.
“Our new recruits are already making an impact,” said Sgt Lee Wilkinson, of Ilford town centre and Loxford ward police team.
“They have made four arrests in three shifts including two for possession with intent to supply cannabis.
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“It was not only a great arrest but also their first stop and search ever.”
The recruits joined the force through the Police Now scheme which seeks to reduce crime and increase public confidence in the Met by recruiting and developing an outstanding and diverse group of individuals to be leaders on the policing frontline.
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Each Police Now neighbourhood officer is posted to a uniformed front-line neighbourhood role where they take responsibility for a specific geographic area.
During the two-year programme, officers will have the opportunity to showcase their problem-solving skills and leadership potential, but fundamentally the role is about “making a tangible difference in the most challenged communities across the country”.
Police Now is not a fast-track or promotion-based scheme and all officers remain as police constables for the duration of the programme.
“It is a graduate-only entry scheme and it has quite intensive training,” added Sgt Wilkinson
“They are doing well and learning the basics and they will be given more complex cases with problem solving.
“They will be really busy in Ilford.”
