PCSO Anis Mahar is the new Dedicated Ward Officer for South Woodford. With almost two decades of experience, he is keen to engage with the wider community to solve local problems
I have served as a PCSO for 18 years, having been appointed by the Met in 2004. I am now a Dedicated Ward Officer for South Woodford.
I started up my job with the antisocial behaviour team in Newham, and when Safer Neighbourhoods Teams (SNT) were formed, I was one of the first SNT PCSOs, posted to Green Street West ward for two years. Safer schools teams were then formed across London to tackle youth-related issues, and I was part of Newham’s team between 2008 and 2015. As a Safer Schools PCSO, my role was to give lessons and inform pupils on topics such as bullying, gangs, knife crime, extremism and sexual offences. I would also patrol outside schools and provide a presence within the school premises to be visible should any concerns or issues arise. It allowed the children to talk to me in a trustworthy and approachable manner.
An opportunity arose in the Newham Youth Engagement Team as a volunteer police cadet (VPC) PCSO, which I took. The goal and ethos of the team was to run junior and senior sessions at different primary and secondary schools to divert vulnerable young people away from the streets to stop them being victims or perpetrators of crime.
I ran the Met Police Junior Citizen scheme twice a year, advising young children how to stay safe on the streets after school hours, and in case of an emergency, what preventive steps could be taken to thwart any untoward incidents (by shouting for help and running away from dangerous situations to the safest places to seek police help).
I was nominated, along with my team, for the Commissioner’s Excellence Award 2020 in recognition of my service to youth engagement and the VPC scheme.
I am currently based at Barkingside Police Station as part of the South Woodford SNT, which is led by Inspector Noori and Sergeant Atif Shaikh. As a Dedicated Ward Officer, I am here to provide quality, community-oriented service to businesses, faith venues and residents. I am working towards solving ward priority crimes by engaging with local councillors, faith leaders, ward panel members and community leaders, utilising all the tools available from one of the best police services in the world.
There is a policing necessity to identify vulnerable areas for women’s safety across Redbridge, and South Woodford SNT is committed to tackling these forms of crime in a timely and robust manner.
If you are the victim of any crime, please contact the police. Do not suffer in silence. We are here to help you. In case of emergency, always dial 999. If it is not an emergency, call 101 or get in touch with us by email.
To contact the South Woodford SNT, email sntji-south-woodford@met.police.uk
