From 2018 to 2021, the Metropolitan Police provided so-called 'Special Police Services' to East Village in order to support a dedicated police station. This supported the growth of our community post-olympics, helping residents to feel safe, but funding for this was subsequently withdrawn and the police station was closed.

Residents in Stratford Olympic Park have endured month after month of rising crime, including violent crime and theft – particularly of mobile phones. Despite repeated assurances of more frequent and visible patrols to deter this crime, residents report feeling increasingly unsafe. A number of residents have said they have left the area due to feeling unsafe.

Total crimes per month are up from 340 in July 2021 to 489 in April 2024 (a 44% increase). Violent crimes are up by a staggering 68%, from 41 incidents to 69, and theft is up from 73 to 99 (35% increase). A recent spike in theft saw the number reach 166 incidents in a single month.

These surges in crime have happened since our local police station closed.

Despite best efforts by our local police, numbers continue to rise.

Now, the Stratford Olympic Park police ward panel and the local ward councillors, Cllr Nate Higgins and Cllr Danny Keeling, are joining residents to call for the police station in East Village to be reopened to provide a police station for the Olympic Park. The police station was funded in the past by Get Living amongst others, and we're calling on all local stakeholders to listen to residents and work to make people feel safe. This reopened police station could provide services to the entire Olympic Park.

We know reopening the police station will not be a silver bullet, but it could be an essential part of restoring our community's relationship with the local police and to help people feel more safe.

Stratford Olympic Park has so much to offer – we have access to green space that is unparalleled for an inner city location, and incredible transport links. We wouldn't want to live anywhere else. We have a collection of friendly local businesses which are an essential part of our community, and fantastic schools for our young people to grow up in. We must stop this rise in crime to avoid undermining all the work done to build a new community here since the Olympic Games.

Cllr Nate Higgins and Cllr Danny Keeling, Stratford Olympic Park councillors
Jacqui Robinson, Chair, Stratford Olympic Park Ward Panel
+ Stratford Olympic Park residents