Councilor sponsors £63,500 grant for Orthodox Jewish security group in north west London

A Tory councilor has sponsored a £63,500 Barnet Council grant to an Orthodox Jewish security group based in north-west London.

The local Conservative group said it was “important” that the council recognized the work of “critical charities”.

Dean Cohen, ward councilor for Golders Green, sponsored the grant to enable Shomrim NW to operate. This follows a £45,000 grant he sponsored for Hatzolah NW.

Cllr Cohen said: “Supporting organizations like Shomrim NW and Hatzolah NW is vital to the wellbeing and safety of our community.

“Over the last decade we have seen a lot of community growth with new housing developments, particularly for the most vulnerable.”

Shomrim and Hatzolah are international volunteer organizations made up of local volunteers who provide a neighborhood watch service and a pre-hospital medical response respectively.

The north-west London branch, Shomrim NW, was set up in 2008 “following a large spate of burglaries and crime in the area”, according to its website.

The group operates mainly “but not exclusively” in Golders Green, Childs Hill, Hendon, Finchley and Temple Fortune.

Volunteers are generally unarmed and do not have the authority to make arrests beyond a citizen’s arrest.

Both groups work with emergency services and are funded by donations from the community and local area.