The future of safer neighbourhood policing lies in a more localised approach, which drills down into the specific crime problems of individual streets. That was the message delivered by Kilburn Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) officers Inspector Brian Lock

The future of safer neighbourhood policing lies in a more localised approach, which drills down into the specific crime problems of individual streets.

That was the message delivered by Kilburn Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) officers Inspector Brian Lockie, who heads up SNT's in six wards including Kilburn, and Sgt Ed White, who spoke exclusively to The Times this week about policing strategies in Kilburn and its surrounding areas.

Pledging to 'win the war by winning the battles', SNT Insp Lockie said that by using data to identify which roads in Kilburn had particular crime problems, for example, burglaries or motor vehicle thefts, they could tailor their policing to tackle these issues.

Insp Lockie said: "We are trying to concentrate on one or two streets in an area and drill in on the issues that affect residents there.

"This means talking to people, educating them in the types of crime which happen in the area, and how to minimise the risk."

Responding to calls for Brent and Camden SNTs to work more closely together in co-policing the Kilburn High Road, which borders both boroughs, Insp Lockie said he anticipated greater co-operation between the two teams in the future.

He said: "We have got a new parliamentary constituency in Kilburn and there will be issues which will cross borough borders. So there should be some sort of cross border co-operation."

Sgt Ed White said tackling crime on the South Kilburn Estate had been the SNT's greatest achievements made possible by having officers who have dug themselves in and become part of the community they serve.