‘Met Engage’ enables people to stay updated about local policing operations and advice
A new way for Londoners to receive updates directly from local police officers has been launched.
Announcing its replacement for the previous Online Watch Link (Owl) service which was recently axed, the Metropolitan Police today (Tuesday 24th) announced that its officers would now use a platform called ‘Met Engage’ to provide local communities with “crime prevention advice, information about community events and meetings, updates on ongoing incidents and investigations, and information about successful outcomes and operations”.
People who sign up to the email service will be asked to complete a survey, where they’ll be able to select where they live and choose the type of alerts they’d like to be informed about. This means the messages they receive will be specifically tailored to them.
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “Every day, officers and staff across the Met are out tackling the crimes that really affect people – things like shoplifting, phone theft and burglary. Their crime-fighting is making a difference and we’re seeing large reductions in these types of offences in London.
“But real progress means more than just numbers going in the right direction – it means working with communities, not just policing them.
“Met Engage is about having a two-way conversation. It’s a way for people to stay informed with precise local updates, to tell us what is most important to them and to challenge misinformation. It’s about shaping policing together and I would encourage everyone to sign-up.”
Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Kaya Comer-Schwartz, said: “I am pleased to see the launch of Met Engage. Both the Mayor and I have been clear that neighbourhood policing is the bedrock of safer communities. By providing an easy way for Londoners to stay in touch with their local neighbourhood police teams, the Met are able to better respond to the needs of our communities.”
“Communication and partnership with communities is essential to the Met’s efforts to cut crime and increase public confidence. I am proud to say that City Hall has part funded Met Engage to bolster neighbourhood policing and drive down crime across the capital, building a safer London for everyone.
“Met Engage is a key part of the Met’s community-first approach, by providing a platform for people to raise concerns, while also being kept updated on the issues that matter most in their local area.
“The Met is placing communities at the heart of everything it does by putting more officers into neighbourhood policing to focus on the issues that matter most to Londoners.”
Met Engage is provided by VISAV Limited, a company that has produced similar products for other police forces across the UK.
While Met Engage will provide opportunities for the public to highlight issues, it is not a crime reporting tool and will not replace all the existing methods of reporting crime including the Met website, calling 101, or 999 in an emergency.
To sign up for local policing alerts through Met Engage:
Visit metengage.co.uk/Content/Pages/Sign-Up
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