Operation Broad Oak - August Update

Dear Residents,

I would like to provide an update on the progress of Operation Broad Oak as we reach the end of the third full month of the operation.

Firstly, I want to apologise for the lack of a detailed update in recent weeks. July and August are particularly busy operational periods for our teams, and I felt it was more beneficial to provide a comprehensive and meaningful update rather than shorter updates with limited information. In the meantime, I know officers have continued to share regular updates about their activity and successes, and I hope you have found these interesting.

Current Progress

Operation Broad Oak remains very much active, and we are still working within the "Clear" phase of the operation. This phase focuses on identifying and tackling those responsible for anti-social behaviour (ASB), many of whom have been identified through reports and images provided by local residents.

Officers continue to use the full range of available ASB legislation to address offending behaviour. We have also made a number of arrests and taken enforcement action against individuals who have breached Community Protection Notices.

Key Results: July and August

The main achievements during July and August include:

Officer Deployment

Throughout July and August, officers have dedicated more than 23 operational days specifically to Operation Broad Oak, equating to 67 individual officer shifts.

It is important to recognise that officers are delivering Operation Broad Oak alongside their wider responsibilities, including:

August is also a particularly demanding operational period. Local events, such as the Southall Independence Day celebrations, alongside major events including the Notting Hill Carnival and Wembley concerts, require officers to support policing operations across London, resulting in occasional redeployments.

Planning for the "Build" Phase

Alongside enforcement activity, significant work has been taking place to prepare for the future "Build" phase of Operation Broad Oak.

This phase focuses on helping communities regain ownership of affected areas and introducing environmental improvements that make locations less attractive to those involved in anti-social behaviour.

Although we are still several months away from formally entering this phase, planning is already well underway.

In July, members of the Mount User Group, representatives from Action West London, local Safer Neighbourhoods officers, the Business Improvement District (BID), and other stakeholders joined Ealing Council on a community walkabout of The Mount to identify opportunities for improvement.

Suggestions included:

Ealing Council is currently reviewing these proposals and will provide feedback in due course.

Similar environmental assessments are also being planned for Woodlands Park and Heathfield Nature Reserve.

Is Operation Broad Oak Making a Difference?

From the outset, I have sought to be open and transparent about the timescales involved in this operation. We are still in the early stages, and there remains a significant amount of work ahead. Subject to ongoing results, we are hoping to move into the "Hold" phase within the next few months, although this timeline remains flexible and dependent on operational outcomes.

Encouragingly, analysis of anti-social behaviour reports across Acton indicates a reduction in reported incidents over the last three months:

While these figures are positive, overall ASB reporting remains one of the key measures we use to assess the effectiveness of Operation Broad Oak. It is therefore essential that residents continue to report incidents consistently so that we have the most accurate picture of what is happening within our communities.

Thank You

We remain fully committed to Operation Broad Oak and recognise that there is still considerable work to do. Thank you for your continued support, engagement, and reporting. The information you provide plays a vital role in helping us identify offenders, target resources effectively, and improve the quality of life across our wards.

Kind regards,

George