The Home Office funding has been awarded as part of the Winter of Action, a nationwide crackdown on crime and antisocial behaviour.
The Council will work with the police, and partners, to introduce a range of crime prevention measures, including installing high-visibility security cameras in known hotspots and removing street furniture to deter offenders from gathering.
These measures will be introduced in Croydon town centre, with a particular focus on North End and West Croydon Station – and Thornton Heath.
A series of huts, called Safer Croydon Partnership Pods, will also be introduced in crime hotspots, acting as a contact point to help people access services, with a particular focus on supporting young people travelling to and from school. It is hoped that they will act as a visible sign that the Council’s Town Centre Taskforce is active in the area.
Partnership initiatives such as the Town Centre Taskforce, and a zero-tolerance approach to crime and antisocial behaviour are part of Executive Mayor Jason Perry’s commitment to making Croydon safer.
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Mayor Perry has written to the Mayor of London, asking for Croydon to be the first London borough to pilot GPS ankle tagging for persistent shoplifters and use Criminal Behaviour Orders with enforceable exclusion zones around the town and district centres.
Crime statistics show that knife crime is down by 19.5 per cent and knife-related robbery down by 26.8 per cent, according to the council.
Robbery is also down 16 per cent and shoplifting down 18.7 per cent.
Executive Mayor of Croydon Jason Perry said: “Knife crime can have devastating consequences for young people, their families and the whole community.
“I want residents of all ages to feel safe, wherever they are in our borough, whatever time of night or day.
“This funding means we can build on initiatives like the Town Centre Taskforce and our zero-tolerance approach, which are already helping to make Croydon safer.
“We’ll be introducing extra measures to prevent knife crime and help young people stay safe, from more cameras to improving the environment so residents of all ages can get help and support.
“I look forward to continuing to work with the Police, residents, businesses and partners to tackle crime head-on and make Croydon a safer place for everyone.”
