The mobile and independent
nature of living aboard without a home mooring makes partnering with institutions
difficult for a boater. Accessing emergency services without a land address
has been an issue in the past. We, the boaters, due to our mobile nature,
haven’t always known the post code or other geographic details which would
direct the police to our location. Even after the location is assumed to be
understood, some response units unfamiliar with the waterways would call the
boater for directions once the towpath has been located. In those past
instances, the delays left some boaters with a feeling of not being a priority
customer for the police,
In East London,
the autumn 2012 crime wave initiated a change in boater/police communication
and cooperation. The increase in crime may be the spark, but the willingness of
the police and boaters to engage with each other is the fuel. We are continuing
to develop a working relationship for a higher level of crime detection and
prevention on our waterways, with the following police teams.
West Bow Police Unit
Bow West is the
primary response team for the Regent’s Canal from the Jubilee Gate of Victoria
Park to Mile End Road, and part of the Hertford Union Canal on emergency and
non-emergency calls. The Bow West Safer Neighbourhoods Team has made the
towpath a ‘Public Set Priority’ for
increased patrols.
East Bow Police Unit
Bow East covers
the Hertford Union from Gun Maker’s Bridge, and the moorings on the Lee Navigation
along the Olympic Park; the area known by boaters as Hackney Wick. This team is
working with the local land residents, the Tower Hamlets council, boaters, and
the London Legacy Development Corporation to ensure the Hackney Wick towpath is
safer for all users.
MET Police Marine Unit (Wapping)
This team is the
London home for Project Kraken, and they cover all of the waterways in Greater
London. It is a relatively small unit for the large area under their
jurisdiction. They don’t have the restriction of council borders, which means
they have the best overview of the waterways network. This is the home of ‘Marine
Watch’. ‘Marine Watch’ is akin to the land based ‘Neighbourhood Watch’. Before
meeting the officers of Project Kraken, we looked into the National
Neighbourhood Watch Programme, but a lack of a local land address was a barrier
to establishing our own. ‘Marine Watch’ on the canals is still developing, and
taking on members and coordinators. Here is the official police blurb on Marine
Watch:
MARINE WATCH
Marine Watch
is coordinated by the Metropolitan Police Marine Policing Unit and is an
integral element of Project Kraken. Project Kraken is a national police
initiative aimed at enhancing vigilance around the UK’s coastal and inland
waters to combat crime and identify suspicious behaviour.
Marine Watch
works to strengthen partnerships between statutory authorities such as the
Police, Port of London Authority, Environment Agency and Canal & River
Trust together with individuals and communities in order to work together to
make our waterways safe and pleasant for all. By becoming part of Marine Watch,
you have taken the first step towards helping us achieve that goal.
What will we
do?
- Share
information and work with our partners to solve problems together
- Listen to
your comments and take positive action where necessary
- Prepare
regular newsletters with useful information and contacts
- Provide
support and help to set up ‘Watch Areas’
- Crime
prevention advice and property marking events
What can you
do?
- Be vigilant -
report suspicious behaviour. Remember, if it doesn’t look or feel right, it
probably isn’t.
- Keep in touch
- we are here for you
- Keep your
boat secure by taking simple steps
- Mark your property
and register it with the National Property Register - www.immobilise.com
- Encourage
others to register for Marine Watch - consider creating your own ‘Watch Area’.
Remember, if
it doesn’t look or feel right, it probably isn’t! Call us on 101 or if it’s an
emergency dial 999.
Twitter
@MPSonthewater
Hackney Victoria SNT
Recently, I was
introduced to an officer from the Hackney Victoria Unit, who wants to build a
stronger relationship with boaters. This team is responsible for the relatively
small piece of towpath that goes from the Victoria Park Jubilee Gate to Mare
Street. They plan to support a Towpath Community Safety Day with Bow police and
the Cycle Registration team.
General Police Response
The teams above have
actively partnered with the boating community over local hotspots; this doesn’t
mean that other police teams are not committed to a safer towpath at large. From
personal experience and from the recent messages posted online, the police response
in areas which are not Public Set Priorities has been quick and the level of
professionalism is outstanding. Boaters need no longer wonder if we are
receiving the same level of service provided for non-boaters by our police
teams.
