Spotlight on Stamford Hill Shomrim working to keep parts of London Safe

By
Trevor Sherwood

The Stamford Hill Shomrim is a registered Chairty with the primary responsibility to observe and report situations which may require a response by emergency personnel and to act as a mobile “neighbourhood patrol”.

The shomrim detain a man following criminal damage.

Observe a drunken violent male fighting.

Assist when substance is thrown at a mother.

Observed male with tools tampering with locked bike.

Woman has mobile phone stolen whilst going in to labour and trying to call an ambulance.

Stamford Hill  Shomrim volunteers are patrolling by foot and in vehicles serve and act as an extension to the Police’s eyes and ears. 

The volunteer’s responsibility is to report suspicious incidents and crimes within the community to the Police.

Shomrim operates a hotline with volunteers on call 24hrs a day for an immediate response in emergency situations.

Shomrim organisations have been set up in many Jewish communities around the world to combat quality-of-life nuisance crimes. As a result of such patrols, criminals are more likely to be arrested thereby leading to a lower level of criminal activity in the area, and provide a sense of safety security for members of all communities.

Stamford Hill Shomrim volunteers are fully trained to the standard of the Security Industry Authority (SIA). 

Stamford Hill Shomrim volunteers receive on-going training from the Metropolitan Police and have also received training from the Metropolitan Police Counter-Terrorism Command in assisting to identify potential security threats and suspicious activity.

However! Shomrim are not a law enforcement agency and do not have any legal powers other than those given to any UK citizen.