Barnet Jewish residents get extra police funding as Met receives £86m
The £86 million grant will allow the Metropolitan Police to expand three community protection teams, increasing the number of officers serving Golders Green and other Barnet neighbourhoods.
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BBC London reported that the Metropolitan Police logged 1,379 antisemitic offences in the twelve months to the end of July, a rise of 25 percent on the previous year. In July the UK government announced a grant of £86 million to fund additional officers for Jewish neighbourhoods. Barnet residents, particularly those in Golders Green, will be covered by the new community protection teams the Met plans to establish.
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Matt Jukes, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, told BBC London that antisemitic incidents in London are at a two‑year high and that the force receives three to four reports each day. He described the danger as coming from extremist right‑wing groups, Islamist terrorists and hostile states. The Met recorded 35 arrests linked to eleven investigations during the period.
Funding and recruitment plan
Sir Mark Rowley, the Met commissioner, had earlier called for an extra 300 dedicated officers, BBC London reported. The £86 million allocation will allow the force to create three community protection teams, which together could comprise more than 250 officers. The funding does not meet the full request but will expand the existing capacity.
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Current police presence in Barnet
BBC London noted that the Met currently deploys 36 officers specialised in north‑west London and Stamford Hill. Those officers work alongside the volunteer patrol group Shomrim and the Community Security Trust, according to Jukes. In Golders Green, the new teams will focus on synagogues, schools and community centres, providing a visible police presence.
I'm hugely grateful that the Met are stepping up their game because it's absolutely necessary,
Tami Isaacs Pearce, bakery owner
Community reaction
Isaacs Pearce said the additional police presence was welcomed, BBC London reported. Rabbi Gabriel Botnick of Belsize Square Synagogue also said the extra patrols were always welcome and appreciated, according to the same source.
National response
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband called antisemitism a scourge and an evil, BBC London reported. He argued that the government and society must act to counter it. Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis warned that recent policy moves could increase antisemitic sentiment, also reported by BBC London.
Community partnership
Matt Jukes said the new teams will work closely with the Community Security Trust and the volunteer group Shomrim, which enjoys confidence within the Jewish community, BBC London noted. He stressed that officers will receive training specific to the neighbourhoods they serve.
Future monitoring
BBC London said the Met intends to use the new teams as a blueprint for policing when tensions rise in other communities. The force will track hate‑crime statistics and publish updates later in the year.
Questions this report answers
+How many antisemitic offences were recorded in the last year?
BBC London reported that 1,379 antisemitic offences were logged by the Metropolitan Police in the twelve months to the end of July, representing a 25 percent increase on the previous year. The figure highlights a growing threat to the Jewish community.
+How much funding has the government provided for extra police officers?
The UK government announced a grant of £86 million in July, BBC London said, to enable the Metropolitan Police to recruit additional officers for Jewish neighbourhoods across London, including Barnet. The money will fund the creation of three new community protection teams.
+How many dedicated officers does the Met currently have in north‑west London?
BBC London noted that the Metropolitan Police currently has 36 officers dedicated to north‑west London and Stamford Hill. These officers work with volunteer groups such as Shomrim and the Community Security Trust to protect Jewish residents and institutions.
+What will happen next with the new funding in Barnet?
BBC London reported that the Met will use the £86 million to build three community protection teams, expanding officer numbers beyond the current 36. The new teams will focus on Golders Green and other Barnet areas, and the force will monitor hate‑crime data to assess impact.
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