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Today the Met is launching the next phase of the New Met for London plan – and we are building on a mission that is working. We are driving down neighbourhood crime like phone-snatching and shoplifting by 14%, injuries from violence is at a 5-year low and we are arresting more than 1,000 extra criminals a month. Locally here in Hillingdon we have also seen some real achievements including: We have focussed on reducing anti-social behaviour in Uxbridge Town Centre after residents reported that several properties nearby were occupied by squatters. Between July –September 2025, officers completed several search operations resulting in five properties in Uxbridge cleared of illegal occupants and secured. We have reduced serious violence offences around Hillingdon High Street by targeting the most prolific offenders and the retail businesses used to faciliate criminal activity. Officers completed eight search warrants where 11 knives/offensive weapons were seized, residents in two addresses were evicted due to their criminal behaviour, and 12 people were charged for a range of offences including drug supply.We have continued our work around ‘Project Confidence’, a series of group personal safety awareness sessions for women and girls. 48 sessions have now taken place across local gyms, churches and community halls. The New Met for London: Phase 2 strategy will see us: Put you and Londoners across the city at the heart of precise community crime-fighting, investing more in our local neighbourhood crime-fighting teams, driving performance on the frontline and making sure you can influence where we focus our efforts.Harness the power of technology and data to make a profound shift in how we police London and Hillingdon. Across the city the Met is looking at expanding the use of facial recognition technology and becoming even more precise in targeting the small number of offenders who cause the most harm, and the places and victims that suffer most.Build new partnerships and improve existing ones – whether with the public, private or the third sector – to achieve the best possible outcomes for you.As part of this commitment to listening to you, we hosted our Community Crime-Fighting event on Thursday 2nd October 2025, where you told us your main priorities were: An increase in police presence and visibility on our local streets. Less abstractions for Neighbourhood officers so they can spend more time on their wards. Additional community engagement events, for example police surgeries. Thanks to your input, we are now working hard to tackle these issues by: Completing intelligence led targeted patrols in and around Uxbridge town centre, Ruislip and Hayes, targeting antisocial behaviour and retail crime. Changing how we staff our teams so that we are putting more officers in our higher demand areas so they are where you need them most. Working alongside the local council and other partners, so that we can share intelligence and work better together in keeping you safe. The full New Met for London 2 strategy is now available for you to read online. I want to keep the conversation going - so thank you for joining us on Met Engage, which was introduced to help us do exactly that. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and warmest wishes for the New Year. Superintendent Priya Shome | 
