A new policing model that aims to provide a stronger focus on local officers tackling local crime and anti-social behaviour will be implemented in Croydon next month.
The Metropolitan Police Service is putting an extra 2,600 neighbourhood police officers on to the street to fight crime across the capital and the Local Policing Model is restructuring how policing locally is delivered.
The officers will work alongside emergency response teams dealing with urgent 999 calls and specialist CID units that will deal with complex and more serious crime investigations.
Fifteen of the remaining 16 boroughs went live with the new model yesterday but it will be implemented in Croydon on Monday, October 7.
There have been 50 new recruits to Croydon police since the summer and the model is being implemented later to allow officers time to acclimatise to policing in the borough.
Croydon's borough commander Chief Superintendent David Musker said: "These changes will, ultimately, help us to deliver a better and more efficient police service to the public of Croydon and I am extremely optimistic that we will be able to further reduce crime and antisocial behaviour in the borough.
"The new policing model gives us more flexibility to use our resources in the places we need them, to target the crimes and issues affecting local communities."
Officers will be directed to where they are needed by a neighbourhood inspector, rather than being restricted by ward boundaries and will take responsibility for reducing crime in their area.
Anyone wishing to speak with a police officer will be able to make an appointment at a time and place convenient to them, but Croydon police station will remain open to the public 24/7.
Contact points have already been opened in Croydon and a new front counter service has been introduced at Berin Underwood House in Windmill Road.
For a full list of locations, maps and opening hours of police stations and contact points visit the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (Mopac) website.
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