Superintendent Lisa Butterfield, who leads Neighbourhood Policing in Romford, has spoken about the hard work and dedication officers have shown in addressing this critical issue.

“Project Vigilant patrols use a mix of plain-clothed and uniformed officers to patrol busy night-time locations to spot and deter any predatory behaviour. With the increased patrols in Romford and Ilford town centres, we have seen a 12.4% decrease in violence against women and girls-related offences when compared to the same three-month reporting period last year.

“This tactic is focused on identifying predatory behaviour and preventing offences from taking place in order to protect anyone who is vulnerable, including both women and men. The teams patrol public spaces on a regular basis in order to identify anyone who may be engaging in predatory behaviour. They will then notify their uniformed colleagues, who will intervene and engage with the individual in question, as well as take any necessary action.

For example, in February, officers in Romford town centre issued a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) to a high harm offender, preventing him from entering the town centre for three years. The Town Centre Team, a detective from the Met’s Public Protection, and the local authority all worked together to make this happen. In the town centre, the offender was engaging in predatory behaviour, particularly towards young teenage girls. Many of the victims refused to cooperate with the investigations for personal reasons. Instead, the team collaborated with the court to secure the order for three years.

“We know in recent months Romford and neighbourhoods in east London have seen worrying cases of violence, especially against women and girls. My teams take these crimes and reports extremely seriously. It is our responsibility to help keep London’s streets safe and to keep people safe from predatory offenders. We will continue to collaborate with local businesses and partners to bring these individuals to justice.”