Thames Valley Police are using CCTV and facial recognition to tackle crime and support vulnerable people in a known prostitution hotspot on Western Elms Avenue in Reading.
Western Elms Avenue has long had a reputation as an area where sex workers operate. While prostitution itself is legal, street soliciting, pimping and running brothels are criminal offences.
At a presentation to Reading councillors, Felicity Parker, the Thames Valley Police Local Policing Unit Commander for Berkshire West, said: "We have had an extended hotspot app, so our neighbourhood teams use apps on our phones to make sure we know where we should be going, at what time, to make sure we are doing intelligence-led policing."
She described a monthly operation, Op Ruffle, which combines enforcement, safeguarding and disruption to help exploited and vulnerable people. "Our focus around the policing element is focusing on those offenders. We have targeted them, using civil orders as well, and we’ve also been using our new capabilities of mobile CCTV cameras and our facial recognition capability," she said.
Parker added officers can identify people coming into the area, visit local residents or send letters to people from outside the area, aiming to make it safer for the community.
Police.UK data shows two crimes were reported in Western Elms Avenue in January — one violent or sexual offence and one vehicle crime. In the wider Abbey and Battle wards there were 566 crimes in January, 212 of them violent or sexual offences.
Councillor Wendy Griffith (Labour, Battle) raised worries about drug dealing and local fatigue from repeatedly reporting problems. "Residents report feeling unsafe about continually reporting, and often fear reprisals at their homes," she told the meeting.
Commander Parker said neighbourhood teams respond and can surge specialist resources, but that priorities mean focusing on Southcote. The report was given to the council’s policy committee on Monday 16 March.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
Bracknell Council Unveils £8m Road Upgrade Plan
