Northwood Safer Neighbourhood sergeant to retire

Chairman Tony Ellis said: "We would like to know what is happening.
"We have had no contact at all and no one on the SNT seems to have any idea what's happening."

Mr Ellis said the association felt the area was undermanned over the summer after one PC went on holiday while another was on sick leave, leaving just the team's PCSOs to patrol the streets.

He said the association has been asking for updates ever since about when the team will be back to full strength.

He said: "It was very unsatisfactory.

"The sergeant of the SNT usually writes a piece for our newsletter but this time there will be no update."

Chief Inspector Nigel Quantrell, from Hillingdon Police's Partnership team, said: "It is unfortunate that residents feel the need to raise this issue at all, however, recent months have been extraordinary for Hillingdon Police and for the MPS.

"The start of the summer saw a reduction in five sergeants as part of the austerity measures. This was followed by the pan-London disorder which saw huge abstractions from boroughs across London.

"Hillingdon provided police officers from across the borough to provide reassurance and security in other parts of the capital.

"For the first time, SNT staff were no longer ring-fenced and were used as part of the resourcing.

"When you consider the summer leave period, staff sickness and a general shortage of staff on the partnership world, it is unsurprisng that residents felt they were not recieving a premium service from the neighbourhood team.

"Thankfully the demands placed upon us have reduced and we are trying to return to business as usual."

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