Crime and the fear of crime remains the number one priority for people in the Hendon constituency. Consequently  Matthew has been going out on patrol with police officers to see for himself what crimes are being committed, who is committing them and how the police are reacting. 

Having completed an early shift with the police, Matthew will attend a late shift and a night shift in the next few weeks. With a focus on burglary, Matthew has sought answers from the police on what actions they are taking. He has also witnessed the apprehension of two men suspected of distraction theft; the actions taken after road traffic collisions; dealing with domestic disputes; and general community reassurance. 

Matthew said: "I was particularly keen to view the Automatic Number Plate Recognition system. Whilst on patrol a car was identified by the ANPR showing the driver did not have insurance. In fact the person did not even have a licence so the car was seized. The ANPR is also used to locate the vehicles of known burglars so the police know where they are and can disrupt their criminal activities. Significantly, the system led to the arrests in the recent street murder in Hendon.

"I am also interested to learn how the police deal with people who have mental health issues, alcohol or drug problems. The purpose of experiencing different shifts is to see how different problems emerge through the day."