Shoppers at Masonville Place in north London may notice an increased police presence in the mall, but not for any crime related reasons.
The London Police Service has opened a new community engagement centre inside the shopping centre at 1680 Richmond Street. The space, part of a six-month pilot project, is meant to allow the service's sworn, civilian, and auxiliary members a new unique way of engaging with the community, police said.
“We’re grateful for Cadilliac Fairview’s generous offer to provide us with storefront space inside Masonville Place," Deputy Chief Paul Bastien said in a statement issued Friday. “This partnership is a great opportunity for us to engage with the community on a personal level – to share information, to answer questions, and to get to know each other a little. We encourage all Londoners to stop in and see us.”
The centre will be staffed every weekday from noon until 3 p.m.
In addition to general community engagement and trust building, police also plan to use the spot to host occasional engagement sessions outside of the preset hours for recruiting and crime prevention education.
