Big-up for Harringay Police Community Safety Officer

A Harringay PCSO who has spearheaded a project to make residents' homes safer has been hailed for her dedication and professionalism.

Lisa Yianni set up a series of street visits and home security surveys after a wave of burglaries along the Harringay Ladder in 2008.

A mobile police unit would set up in a street, often with a carpenter on hand to install new locks to insecure homes, and residents could have security experts assess whether their homes were safe.

PCSO Yianni, who has worked for Harringay Safer Neighbourhood Team for the last seven years, has helped more than 750 homes around the area since setting up the scheme, and seen burglaries almost halve in the two years since 2008.

The Met is this week highlighting the good work of its officers, and PCSO Yianni has been chosen as some one who put in effort and dedication to make her project work.

Sergeant Jono Clay-Michael, from Harringay Safer Neighbourhoods team, said: "Lisa has made herself invaluable to the community, she has worked extremely hard to implement this project and drive it forward.

"She has made herself known to so many residents that she gets stopped in the street by people thanking her for making them feel safer and more confident when they are not at home."

The project PCSO Yianni set up was nominated for a 2010 Safer London Community Award and is currently being considered for the rest of London and across the UK.

Lisa, I think I can safely say that on this one occasion I can speak on behalf of most folk in Harringay and say a big thank you from the 'hood.

(From a story in the Haringey Independent)