Met Commissioner Visit: London’s Crime Prevention Projects Receive Cash Boost
Posted on Tuesday 15th December 2009 in News
FAO: Newsdesks Embargoed: Wednesday 16 December 2009
Crime reduction projects across London will receive a welcome cash boost today, thanks to money recovered from criminals being channelled into local crime prevention initiatives.
Confiscated from criminal activity by the Police, under the Proceeds of Crime Act (2002), around £170,000 in cash will be allocated to several grass-roots projects, which work to divert young people away from street crime, gang-related violence and weapons offences.
Joined by the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Southwark's Mayor and Borough Police Commander, the Safer London Foundation (the Metropolitan Police charity) is set to award grants to thirteen community-based crime reduction projects across the Capital.
Tony Shepherd, Safer London Foundation Chief Executive, said:
"Recycling and redirecting cash from criminal activity can actually make a huge amount of positive difference on the ground in terms of diverting our young people away from crime and supporting at-risk Londoners to change their lives around.
"There is a huge amount of inspiring groundwork and goodwill in our communities, which is often overshadowed by bad news. But today is about celebrating inspiring work carried out by our local partners, and also empowering them to make their neighbourhoods safer for residents and business."
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson, who is also President of the Safer London Foundation, said:
"We are stepping up the seizure of criminal assets and it's important that some of this money will be recycled directly back to help groups on the ground tackle crime and divert people away from carrying out offences.
"I pay tribute to these inspiring local organisations and also the Safer London Foundation, who work tirelessly to make their communities safer, often in extremely difficult circumstances."
Charities in attendance tomorrow include:
- the Osmani Trust; carries out a gang conflict mediation programme in Tower Hamlets
- the Diamond Initiative; carries out positive interventions to offenders in Southwark and across London who serve less than twelve months in prison
- Spires Streetlink; a south London based charity helping the homeless
The Safer London Foundation is the Metropolitan Police Service charity and works to help make London a safer place to live, work and visit. The Foundation is the only charity to have been awarded Proceeds of Crime Act funds and its President is Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson.
Click here for more information about POCA
Media Invite and Photos:
12.20pm: Mayor's Chambers, Southwark Town Hall, Peckham Road, SE5 8UB
Photos: SLF Chief Executive Tony Shepherd, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson, Southwark Mayor Cllr. Jeff Hook, Borough Commander Wayne Chance hand over a giant cheque to recipient Southwark, and other London borough, crime prevention groups.
Further Information: Contact Jill Andrews, Rick Allard or Richard Bingley at the Safer London Foundation on 0207 021 0301
Ends>
It's easy to share this page
just click below...