Independent Enfield Escorts

A team of officers from the Metropolitan Police has been set up to crack down on kerb-crawling in Upper Edmonton.

The dedicated team of one sergeant and six officers will work with Enfield Council partners to engage with sex workers and target those who exploit and control them.

Working day and night, the Met Police team will aim to reduce the number of persistent workers and kerb crawlers who frequent the area, along with targeting associated addresses.

Operation Boxster 2020 is an ongoing operation to tackle the Sex worker activity in the Fore street area of both London Boroughs of Haringey and Enfield. There have been a number of policing activities under the Umbrella of operation Boxster. These operations involve specialist police units, neighbourhood policing, local authority community safety teams, intervention charities and third sector organisations such as the Salvation Army.

Operation Boxster 2020/has undertaken two operations in the last 18 months to target kerb crawlers and 36 people were arrested in total.

Regular ‘walkabouts’ are undertaken by council officers with the MPS dedicated ward officer (DWO).

Three further mini operations were carried out which resulted in an additional 27 arrests, 59 cautions, 71 stop and searches and 25 intelligence reports. Warning letters have been issued by the Police to the registered keepers of the vehicles loitering in the area. The Met Central Trafficking Team will be training the DWOs to ensure a more informed policing response to the issue. The Superintendent and heads of both Enfield and Haringey community safety provide oversight.

Estate walkabouts with a focus on changing the environment have been undertaken with the ‘design out crime’ advisor, the council and DWO. These walkabouts inform measures that are to be taken to improve the physical environment, such as changing the lighting and removing cut-throughs and walls. A Public Space Protection Order is in place and both civil and criminal remedies are considered to deter activity.

A number of community meetings have taken place to update the public on police and local authority joint action and activity. The next meeting is scheduled for 27th February 2020 and it is anticipated that these will take place every 8-12 weeks thereafter.

Strategic oversight with Superintendent (neighbourhoods policing) and heads of both Enfield and Haringey community safety. Local and Central policing teams conducting a number of short and long term operations.

Estate walkabouts with a focus on changing the environment have been undertaken with the ‘design out crime’ advisor, the council and DWO. These walkabouts inform measures that are to be taken to improve the physical environment, such as changing the lighting and removing cut-throughs and walls. A Public Space Protection Order is in place and both civil and criminal remedies are considered to deter activity.

A number of community meetings to update the public on police / LA action and activity. The head of the Enfield Independent advisory group was an observer on the last operation two weeks ago to ensure the public are aware of the policing response.