Troubled park brought back for community

9:15am Monday 28th May 2007

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A LEYTON park which used to be a magnet for gangsters and drug dealers has been transformed by community police.

Mothers were too scared to take their children to Sidmouth Park but an enforcement order to curb groups meeting in the park has meant young families are now using the green space again.

The Grove Green Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) worked with Waltham Forest Council to set up a dispersal order around the park and nearby Coronation Gardens.

Groups congregating there can be asked to leave by police and SNT members and they cannot return for 24 hours.

Robert Scavera, 34, of Sidmouth Road, and SNT ward panel chairman, said: "Sidmouth Park was a magnet for gangs and drug dealers.

"They were always in the park during the evening just congregating. The SNT worked with the council to improve the security."

The park has also been cleared up by Operation Payback, a scheme where people on community punishment orders do activities to benefit the community.

However, Grove Green SNT member, PC James Bentley, said work still needs to be done to make the park completely safe.

"There is a tunnel there which we want to fill in. It is what we call a defensible space where a drug user can hide," he said The SNT has also helped to close down a cafe in High Road Leyton after residents complained about anti-social behaviour.

The Metropolitan Police set up SNTs in April last year so that the police could improve community relations.

SNTs tackle crimes like vandalism and fly-tipping but also work with residents to make their area safer.

Each team has one sergeant, two constables, and three Police Community Support Officers (PSCO's).

Sgt Kate Collin, of the Grove Green SNT, said: "When we started there was a lot of scepticism but we visited fetes, residents' groups, and council meetings as well as patrolling the streets.

"Now when the officers patrol the streets, people stop and talk to them every two minutes."

The police now want the community to tell SNTs what crimes they should be investigating by joining their SNT ward panels.

They meet with the teams and set priorities for them to investigate.

* Police are distributing leaflets to houses in Waltham Forest to explain more about Safer Neighbourhood Teams.