More police officers are set to be deployed in Luton town centre and other neighbourhoods as Bedfordshire Police promises a more visible presence during the winter months.
The force says student officers will be assigned to town centre and neighbourhood policing teams over the coming months, with the aim of providing a visible deterrent to crime and greater reassurance for residents and visitors.
The announcement follows a month-long crackdown on organised crime operating through high street businesses, as well as continued use of Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology in Luton town centre.
The latest LFR deployments led to 13 arrests across Luton and Bedford, including six people wanted by police or the courts. The total number of arrests made through the technology since it was introduced in September last year has now reached 113.
One recent arrest in Luton followed a report that a wanted man had been spotted in the town centre. Officers carrying out an LFR deployment responded to the call and, after a short foot chase, arrested the suspect just 11 minutes later. He has since been recalled to prison.
The force said the additional officers would complement targeted operations and existing policing activity in town centres.
Chief Superintendent Ian Taylor said: “Over the last six weeks, we have carried out a considerable amount of work to disrupt organised crime and apprehend outstanding offenders who have been causing harm in our communities.
“We know that enforcement alone cannot tackle all of the criminality we see, and both the public and our local authority partners want to see more officers on the ground as a visible deterrent to crime, particularly during the darker winter months. That is why, over the next few months, we will be deploying student officers into our town centres and neighbourhoods, increasing our policing footprint and providing greater visibility and reassurance to our communities.
“Through targeted operations like Machinize and the regular deployment of Live Facial Recognition, we are already seeing the impact of this work in our town centres. Combined with an increased officer presence and our continued work alongside local authority partners, we’re confident we can build on that progress and make our town centres safer.”
Councillor Amjid Ali, Leader of Luton Council said: “I’m really pleased that additional police officers will be deployed in Luton town centre. This is something that we and residents have been calling for over a long time, and it is an important step towards helping people feel safer and more confident in our town.
“Making our town centre safe and welcoming is a huge priority for this council. While the additional police presence is very welcome, it also gives us a great opportunity to build on our partnership working and make further progress together. We recognise there is still much to do, and will continue working closely with the police and all our partners to tackle the issues affecting our town centre and create a place residents can be proud of.”
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