The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is working in partnership with the Jewish community to co-ordinate security arrangements around synagogues and key sites during the Jewish High Holy Days period.

Officers have been working a number of Jewish community groups including Shomrim, KASPA and the Community Security Trust (CST) in advance of the High Holy Days.

Across the MPS officers and staff working in Community Safety Units, Counter Terrorism Focus Desks and Neighbourhood Policing Teams have been given briefings ahead of the upcoming Jewish High Holy Days (13 September – 06 October) to heighten their awareness of potential hate crime incidents at this time. Each day anti-Semitic flagged crimes are monitored to ensure that they are given the appropriate response.

The MPS, as in previous years, will be focused on providing visible reassurance to Jewish communities around London as people worship and celebrate at various religious and cultural events during this period.

Detective Superintendent David Palmer, who is leading the policing activity for the High Holy Day period in London said: “High Holy Days is a time when Jewish communities are perhaps more visible, as larger numbers go to worship during this time. We will therefore continue to work with the Jewish community, as we do with all communities, to reduce the threat to them during this period.

“We are centrally coordinating our policing activity for the High Holy Days through the Met’s Counter Terrorism Protective Security Command to support both pan-London units and local borough officers during this time.

“Every borough has a designated senior officer to ensure that local events and incidents are managed appropriately. Whilst activity is being centrally co-ordinated, it is vital that local officers, who have built positive working relationships and trust with the Jewish community are able to best tailor their policing plans and activity to meet local needs.”

Officers from some London boroughs will also be carrying out patrols where they will be accompanied by with representatives from recognised local Jewish community groups to share information and local knowledge about issues of crime and security and strengthen relationships between local officers and their communities. Members of the public are also being urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to police.

Detective Superintendent Palmer said: “Jewish community organisations in some areas will be accompanying officers on patrol and have assisted in keeping London safe throughout the past year with heightened security awareness, sharing information with police and many other examples of partnership working and problem solving. In doing so, they have not just made their own community safer, but also the wider community in helping to tackle general crime and antisocial behaviour.

“Finally, I’d also ask the general public to remain vigilant and contact us if they notice any suspicious or unusual activity, whether linked to the High Holy Days period or otherwise. The threat level from international terrorism in the UK remains at severe, meaning an attack is highly likely, so we all have a role to play in preventing any attacks.”

Any suspicious activity can be reported to the police by using the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321. In an emergency, always dial 999.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)