“Havering Stands Behind Its Police”: Neighbourhood Teams Get a Boost as Three More Officers Join

14th September 202614th September 2026 Francesca Lilleystone 0 Comments Abstractions, Havering, London, Niehgbourhoods, Police min read

Havering’s police officers are facing an increasingly challenging policing environment, with hundreds of officers being taken away from their local communities for London-wide events, but the borough’s teams continue to receive strong support from the residents they serve.

Neighbourhoods Superintendent Sharon Brind has highlighted the financial and operational pressures facing the Metropolitan Police, with a new approach being introduced to reduce the number of officers being taken away from their normal duties.

Known within policing as “abstractions”, officers can be required to leave their local borough to provide policing support elsewhere in London, particularly when major events require additional resources.

In Havering, the scale of the issue has been significant.

An average of 191 officer abstractions every month has meant a substantial number of officers who would normally be working in local communities are instead being deployed elsewhere.

For a borough such as Havering, where residents regularly raise concerns about visibility, anti-social behaviour, crime and the need for a stronger police presence, losing officers from local neighbourhood teams can have a real impact.

Superintendent Brind said the Met had to ensure its resources were focused where they could have the greatest impact.

She said:

“The Met is facing significant financial challenges, and, like all public services, we must ensure our resources are focused where they can have the greatest impact.”

She said the force was now taking a more targeted, risk-based approach to abstractions, meaning neighbourhood officers should only be taken away from their local communities when the threat, harm and risk genuinely justify it.

And there is already evidence that the approach is making a difference.

The Met has reduced officer abstractions for aid by around 20,000 officers between April and July 2026 compared with the same period in 2025.

That means more officers remaining where they are needed most — in the communities they know.

For Havering, that could prove particularly important.

Superintendent Brind said:

“In Havering alone, an average of 191 officer abstractions per month can significantly impact local policing, so this change will help protect neighbourhood policing and maintain a visible presence across the borough.”

Three more officers for Havering

There is also some welcome news for Havering’s neighbourhood teams.

Havering Neighbourhoods has recently received three additional police officers, strengthening its ability to tackle local concerns, engage with residents and maintain a visible presence across the borough.

Superintendent Brind said:

“I am also pleased to announce that Havering Neighbourhoods has recently received a growth of three additional police officers, strengthening our ability to tackle local concerns, engage with residents and continue making Havering a safer place to live, work and visit.”

At a time when policing is facing enormous financial and operational pressures, the additional officers will be welcomed by communities across Havering.

Havering’s officers have some very strong allies — their community.

Police officers are facing difficult times.

They are expected to deal with increasingly complex demands, often with limited resources, while facing criticism from all sides.

Yet in Havering, there remains something particularly valuable — a strong relationship between many officers and the communities they serve.

That was clearly demonstrated at last Saturday’s Harold Hill community event, where local officers were able to engage directly with residents in a positive and welcoming environment.

It was a reminder that neighbourhood policing is not simply about responding to crime.

It is about knowing communities.

It is about speaking to residents, listening to their concerns, building relationships and being visible in the places officers are responsible for protecting.

And that relationship matters.

Havering has some outstanding police officers who continue to turn up, despite the pressures placed upon them.

They are often asked to do more with less, while at the same time being taken away from their own borough to support policing operations elsewhere in London.

The reduction in abstractions could therefore be significant.

For residents, seeing officers on their streets matters.

Knowing the local officers, being able to speak to them and seeing them regularly at community events can make a huge difference to public confidence.

And while policing will continue to face financial pressures and difficult decisions, Havering residents can at least take some comfort from the fact that more officers should now be able to remain where they are needed, in Havering.

Superintendent Brind said:

“While difficult decisions are being made across the organisation, our commitment to neighbourhood policing and protecting the communities of Havering remains unchanged.”

For Havering’s officers, that commitment is being put into practice.

And for the residents who turned out to meet them in Harold Hill last weekend, the message was equally clear:

The community still values its police officers.

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