Local Police Officer Explains How Operation Broad Oak Works
PC Loveday on the response to concerns about rise in ASB in Acton
An alleged street drinker is arrested near The Mount (prior to Operation Broad Oak). Picture: Met Police
One of the officers leading a new policing operation against anti-social behaviour in Acton has offered an explanation of what the crackdown looks like on the ground.
The major new policing initiative has been launched in the area in response to persistent concerns about drug use, drug dealing and alcohol-related anti-social behaviour (ASB) in local parks and residential streets.
Operation Broad Oak, announced earlier this month by Sergeant George Zealey of the North and South Acton Safer Neighbourhood Teams, marks one of the most coordinated efforts in recent years to address the area’s escalating ASB problems.
Acton has recorded the highest number of anti-social behaviour reports in the borough over the past year, with hotspots including The Mount, Woodlands Park and Heathfield Gardens. Residents have repeatedly raised concerns about safety, particularly in the evenings, prompting the Met to adopt a long-term strategy rather than relying on short bursts of enforcement
PC Dave Loveday, part of the South Acton neighbourhood team, has described a week in which officers are shifting to a zero-tolerance approach to the ASB that has been affecting Acton town centre, particularly around The Mount and Woodlands Park as part of Operation Broad Oak.
He explained that his day began with a visit to the manager of Sainsbury’s on Churchfield Road to discuss a persistent shoplifter who has been repeatedly targeting the store. The team is now focusing on the worst offenders, aiming to reduce the constant cycle of thefts that local businesses have been reporting. From there, he moved on to an abandoned flat near Morrisons that has become a nightly base for drug users. The landlord secured the door last week, but it was quickly broken open again. Police are now working with the landlord to find a long-term solution, as the property has generated a steady stream of complaints.
On The Mount, he encountered three street drinkers with open cans of alcohol. All were issued Community Protection Warnings, the first step in a process that can ultimately lead to a full ban from Acton town centre. Loveday said that while some drinkers appear quiet during the day, footage shows the same individuals contributing to disorder late at night, when the area becomes chaotic after around 10pm. He also responded to reports of drug use in Woodlands Park, where he found a man already banned from Acton. That individual is now returning to court.
Residents continue to raise concerns about parcel thefts linked to the man known locally as “Lime Bike Guy”. Loveday said the suspect has a Criminal Behaviour Order banning him from Acton, and that any footage of him stealing parcels, accompanied by a statement, would allow police to charge him for breaching the order. He urged residents to report incidents rather than assume nothing can be done.
PC Loveday also described an encounter that drew criticism from a passer-by. After a drug user approached him to express concern about a vulnerable member of their group, he thanked the man and fist-bumped him. A woman who witnessed the exchange objected, saying officers should not show respect to someone she believed to be a serious dealer. Loveday said he treats everyone with dignity unless force is required, and that the same attitude guided him earlier in the day when local schoolchildren asked him about stop and search and he walked one of them through the process.
He went on to explain how Operation Broad Oak will deal with the drinkers and drug users who have become a persistent presence in the town centre. In the past, he said, options were limited because low-level drug use and street drinking sit at the bottom of the crime scale. To manage the situation, he has been running a system that alerts him whenever one of the individuals he monitors comes into contact with police, allowing him to track who is causing the most harm and who is wanted for other offences.
The new operation relies on a stepped approach. First comes a Community Protection Warning, a formal notice telling someone to stop their anti-social behaviour. If they ignore it, they receive a Community Protection Notice, which can include bans on carrying open alcohol, sitting with a paper cup or associating with certain people, along with a map showing the area of Acton they are barred from for a year. If they breach the notice, they are arrested and taken to court, usually resulting in a fine. Continued breaches lead to an application for a Criminal Behaviour Order, which turns the prohibitions into court-ordered conditions. Breaching a CBO can result in prison.
PC Loveday said many CPWs have already been issued and evidence is being gathered for CPN breaches. Four CBOs have already been granted. Alongside this, officers will continue to investigate crimes, arrest wanted suspects and target drug dealers, although he noted that drug investigations are resource-intensive and take officers off the streets for long periods.
He said the operation marks a significant change in how police respond to behaviour that has been escalating for months. He believes the early signs are positive and that residents will begin to see results as the operation continues.
Operation Broad Oak is built around the Clear, Hold, Build model — a structured method used nationally to stabilise areas affected by entrenched criminality and disorder.
Acton is currently in the Clear phase, which focuses on visible, targeted enforcement. Residents will see more officers on foot patrol, especially during evenings when ASB tends to peak. Officers are using a range of powers, from Community Protection Warnings to Criminal Behaviour Orders for persistent offenders, while also working with support services to help individuals struggling with addiction.
Sergeant Zealey emphasised that policing alone cannot resolve the underlying issues: “It’s clear that a coordinated, long-term approach is needed to address these problems properly, as policing cannot tackle these complex issues alone.”
Within the first 48 hours of Operation Broad Oak, officers reported several significant outcomes:
- A wanted individual linked to serious offences was arrested and charged with breaching a Community Protection Notice.
- Stop and searches in The Mount and Woodlands Park led to a positive result for cannabis possession, now progressing through the courts.
- Multiple Community Protection Warnings were issued to individuals involved in drug use and alcohol-related ASB across key locations.
- One person was reported for breaching an existing Community Protection Notice and will appear in court.
The Clear phase will continue over the coming months, with officers maintaining a strong presence in the most affected areas. Once the situation stabilises, the operation will move into the Hold phase, designed to prevent problems from returning.
The final Build phase will focus on long-term community resilience. Police plan to work closely with residents, local groups and partner organisations to create safer public spaces and support those at risk of being drawn into offending.
Community involvement is already growing, with several local groups expressing interest in contributing to the Build phase. Sergeant Zealey described this as “really encouraging” and stressed that partnership working will be essential to lasting change.
Updates on Operation Broad Oak will be shared through Met Engage, with police encouraging residents to stay involved, report concerns and take part in future community-led initiatives.
Click here to sign up for Met Engage if you haven’t already done so.
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