The idea is part of the force's high-profile "step change" in policing and follows calls earlier this month for more cross-agency action on antisocial behaviour. It aims to have 5000 more police officers working in the capital within five years, taking the total to 35,000.
The community teams would build links with the community and supporting organisations such as social landlords in their work to tackle antisocial behaviour. The teams would comprise one sergeant, three or four officers and a number of police community support officers. PCSOs were introduced in 2002 to increase street policing, though they hold fewer powers than conventional officers. There are about 1000 now at work in London.
As yet, no target date has been set for establishing the teams in each of London's 758 council wards. Paul Dunn, sergeant in the Met's antisocial behaviour unit, said the scale of the plan meant that it would have to be "rolled out over a number of years".
He continued: "We're still at the design stage of how this can be implemented, but the aim is to return to community policing.
"A large part of the team's work will be to tackle low-level crime and antisocial behaviour, help in obtaining evidence and give advice on target hardening."
The plans should go before London mayor Ken Livingstone within the next few days. Livingstone would have to agree to the increase of funding required to pay for the scheme, but he has supported calls for a larger, more visible police force in the past.
Since Livingstone took office in December 2000, the number of police officers in the capital has risen by 3000.
Last year, the Metropolitan Police's funding rose by £170m to almost £2.7bn; its budget for 2004/05 has to be agreed by February.
Source
Housing Today
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