Spotlight - The art of good policing

Being a police officer isnt just about arresting people; it is about working in a community to prevent crime in the first place, through education and designing out the problem. Art can play a part in this process and, more and more, I find myself working alongside professional artists to achieve shared goals. Currently, I am working closely on a number of projects with the Arts Development Officer at a specialist arts college, Welling School. However, it is not necessary for a police officer to have a deep understanding of any particular art discipline but more an understanding that art can be thought-provoking, fun and enjoyable, and can encourage research and discussion. It can also be used to raise individuals self-esteem and the profile of participants.

School time

One such project I was involved in was an art exhibition at Bexleyheath Police Station, where the long bare corridors were transformed. A whole range of art was obtained from Welling School and a professional artist was used to ensure that each piece was displayed to maximum effect. With students involved from the start, we were able to highlight the positive contribution that young people can make in our communities. This project provided sufficient trust between police and the school to allow the first Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team, nationally, to be located within a school. The local residents and businesses got an extra 120 hours of police patrols every week and there was a massive reduction in crime, and the fear of crime, in the neighbourhood. The school saw criminal damage caused outside school hours stop, with the secondary benefits of improved staff and pupil morale. The policing team were able to work even more closely with the Arts Development Officer because they were based in the school. The local community wanted something done about an underpass that suffered regular graffiti damage. I arranged a meeting between the Council and the Arts Development Officer, where we agreed to create a mural at the location. The police, the council and Welling School agreed to commission local artist Gary Drostle to manage the project and supply the finished art. Gary worked with eight local groups carrying out research, locating photographs, painting pictures and writing prose, and then masterfully linked them together to provide a highly acclaimed mural. With the local community forum on board, a number of groups came together. They proved, through such projects, that people of all ages can identify with and have pride in their local communities, develop trust across the age gap, and gain a sense of belonging and achievement.

Community arts

The most ambitious project that I have run again in partnership with Welling School is a film-making club called Pointless Taxi Productions. Police officers spend much time talking to young people hanging around on the streets and when asked why they do it the answer is there is nothing for us to do. If you are not into sport the alternatives are limited. Young people were demanding more creative activities. From this I developed the idea for the club. From the start I wanted the project to use professional standard equipment and for it to employ professionals. We wrote a business plan, then we attracted the funding a significant amount of which came from the police and council. The idea was simple: we wanted to make films that had a life within the community. We knew that we needed to target both the talented and gifted and the at risk. We wanted the club to be run as much as possible like a real production company. One of the clubs first films, That Girl, is being used to train police officers in the interventions they can make to tackle anti-social behaviour. The club is now in its third year and has seen many members go on to university to study the arts. The club has employed professional directors, art directors, actors, and technical staff such as camera operators and editors to ensure that the young members had top-quality support and guidance. The prestigious Ravensbourne College and Goldsmiths College have sent student ambassadors to work with Pointless Taxi Productions, helping our students broaden their knowledge of the business and of the benefits to be gained from going on to further education. Due to these successes in Welling, Safer Neighbourhood Policing teams are being set up across the country. Many police services are creating localised charities to support projects, and in each local council area there are crime and disorder partnerships that have access to funding. The Home Office, central government departments and many major companies also have a variety of funding streams.

Engaging communities

The policing teams need to engage communities in innovative ways. The arts clearly have a major part to play. Many police officers will not be aware that the arts can help them to build better and more sustainable communities. They might need arts professionals to take the lead. However, the media love a good visual story and the police love good news stories. If your local team isnt actively looking for you then you may need to actively look for them. You might need to research what funding is available; you might even need to identify what the community wants. But, make no mistake, if you can come up with a well thought-out plan that brings communities together, changes an environment for the better, or works with the at risk or disadvantaged, then your local police team is likely to provide support. Safer Neighbourhoods Policing Teams are reducing crime and the fear of crime through diversionary engagement with young people. Using the skills and talent of those working professionally in the arts, these projects can make a valuable contribution.

Michael Wearing has served as a community constable in Westminster, Peckham, Greenwich and Bexley for over 29 years. He currently works on the East Wickham Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team. e:michael.wearing2@met.pnn.police.uk