A Happy New Year from your ward policing team

As crowds gather along the Embankment and the world’s gaze once again falls upon our part of London at the end of another year, the St James’s Ward Neighbourhood Policing team wanted to wish you all the best for 2026.

The past few months have seen some changes for us and the organisation with new officers joining the ward team, some with expertise from other parts of the Met, and others brand new to the job and brimming with enthusiasm and energy. 

We’ve been busy locating and arresting local prolific and wanted offenders, handing out Community Protection Warnings for antisocial behaviour and obtaining Criminal Behaviour Orders from the courts for those engaging in repeated criminality and antisocial behaviour.

This year we’ve worked closely with Westminster Council, Heart of London Business Alliance, London Heritage Quarter and the Safer Business Network- amongst others – collaborating on joint operations, intelligence sharing and targeted deployments on the ward. This partnership working is invaluable to us and we are grateful for everyone’s hard work – particularly My Local Bobby officers who you will see out and about across the West End.

Our problem-solving work this year included bearing down on vehicle-based antisocial behaviour and sports car meet-ups. We have some operations coming up in the New Year with Roads and Transport policing teams, and imminent new legislation should help us with improved powers to take action. 

The ward team is also working with partners to help the local homeless population which has grown in recent months. From welfare and addiction referrals to mental health assessments, we are working alongside people with complex problems and needs on a daily basis, often bringing with them associated issues with criminality and ASB. 

As always, the ward has it’s own policing priorities specific to this area and we look forward to attending our vital ward panel meetings in the New Year to discuss and agree on these for the next quarter. Whether it’s focusing on violence against women and girls, drugs offences or antisocial behaviour, we continue to listen to our residents and businesses about what your concerns are in an ever-changing world. 

Have a safe and happy New Year and we hope to see you in 2026.

The St James’s Ward Neighbourhood Policing team