Police have launched a new initiative tackling Crime in the West End

The Metropolitan Police Service has launched its largest ever crackdown on crime and anti-social behaviour in the West End. In a major operation, hundreds of extra officers will be drafted in on the busiest nights of the week for a six-month period until the end of September. Operation Trafalgar, which launched today (Thursday 29 March), will see up to four hundred extra officers deployed into the West End on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, in a New York-style operation to add to the hundred officers who usually patrol on each of those nights in Westminster. This means that the thousands of visitors who flock to such locations as Soho, Leicester Square, Piccadilly and Covent Garden are set to benefit from the protection of hugely increased numbers of police on the streets tackling crime and enhancing their safety. A large range of tactics will be used as part of the targeted approach of Operation Trafalgar including: using ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) at road-side check points to deny criminals the use of roads in and around the West End; toughening up enforcement action against trouble-makers; clamping down on illegal traders of all kinds; closing down problem clubs, bars or other premises; strictly enforcing no-street-drinking zones; high visibility patrols. There will also be mobile watchtower-style look-out posts that will be set up at key junctions of the West End, where footfall is the highest, to enable police to spot thieves or trouble-makers at an early stage. Mobile CCTV cameras will also be used to help identify active criminals. A dedicated licensing team will be on hand to visit premises as the police and companies work together to help share information about criminals, and briefings will also be held with door men at clubs and other key security partners, such as the street wardens, to help share information about criminals. Along with the enforcement side, an area of the street near the statue of Eros in Piccadilly has been set aside to provide a place of sanctuary for vulnerable, inebriated or lost visitors every Thursday, Friday or Saturday night as part of the operation. A tent in the 'departure zone' will be set up, which will be used by volunteers as a high-profile base offering comfort and advice to vulnerable people in order to help them sober up and get home safely. It is hoped that the area will also eventually have a dedicated paramedic. MPS Safer Transport Command (STC) officers, funded by Transport for London, will support Operation Trafalgar by providing a highly visible presence on buses and engaging with the public about crime prevention. Other STC specialist teams such as the Cab Enforcement Unit and the Dip Squad will also contribute to the operation by continuing to crack down on unlicensed minicabs and pick-pocketing on public transport, respectively. The operation is scheduled to run for at least 24 weeks and builds on the recent Operation Impact which focused on robbery and theft in two key Westminster wards: St James and West End. This operation saw a near 60% reduction in robbery and 17% cut in theft-person. MPS Assistant Commissioner of Territorial Policing, Simon Byrne, said: "Operation Trafalgar is about enhancing safety and enjoyment in the West End, which is the 'shopfront' of London, and includes some of the UK's most iconic locations. "It builds on recent work we have been doing in Westminster to put significantly greater numbers of police officers on patrol at key times during the evenings where we have had problems in terms of violence and disorder. "Whether you are out late at night shopping, going to the pubs, clubs or simply enjoying a summer's evening out on the streets and squares of the West End, we want to make sure we are part of a positive experience for Londoners and visitors, and are working closely with our partners, including Westminster City Council, to bring our total war on crime to life. "The recent work we did in that part of London under Impact saw robbery fall by 60%, which is a big drop and we have every intention that Operation Trafalgar will also generate very positive results. We want policing to be very visible and utterly intolerant of anti-social behaviour and violence in that part of London." Westminster Chief Superintendent Simon Ovens added: "I am determined that coming to the West End will be a safe, secure and enjoyable experience. All my officers will ensure that anyone who is violent, too drunk or committing anti-social acts will be arrested and dealt with robustly. If you come to the West End to break the law or cause trouble, expect to spend the night in my cells."  Catherine Crawford, Chief Executive, Mayor's Office for Policing & Crime, added: "Operation Trafalgar is clamping down on the anti-social behaviour that can spiral into large-scale crime. The extra police officers on patrol will target trouble makers who prey on unsuspecting members of the public and let them know their actions will not be tolerated. The West End is the thriving heart of our city and Londoners and visitors alike deserve to feel safe whilst enjoying it. With a summer of iconic events ahead of us, this is one of the many police initiatives that will keep crime low in the capital."