The Mayor of London is standing by and allowing the decimation of community policing claims Caroline Pidgeon AM, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly policing spokesperson, after questioning the Mayor and the Met Commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe at City Hall today.
Over the last year the Mayor has pushed through significant changes to Safer Neighourhood Teams (SNTs). For almost a decade London adopted a successful model of community policing, with each ward in London having a SNT of one sergeant, two PCs (Police Constables) and 3 PCSOs (Police Community Support Officers). However in the last year, the Mayor has forced through a centralisation of policing in London with SNTs being hollowed out. Each ward in London now only has one PC and one PCSO. There is now growing evidence that even these officers are being drawn away from work in their dedicated wards.
Highlighting recent evidence from Rotherhithe, she revealed how less than a quarter of police officers’ time was spent in their dedicated ward.
Commenting on these changes, Caroline Pidgeon said:
“Safer neighourhood teams have played a major role in delivering community based policing. They have had a major impact in tackling crime and improving the public’s confidence in the police. Sadly that is being totally undermined with the Mayor allowing the decimation of community policing. In some parts of London we are seeing a return to the dark days when the public had far less contact and interaction with their local police.”
“It is bitterly disappointing that the Mayor will not even meet his pledge to ensure that at the very least one PC and PSCO operate solely within their safer neighbourhood team.
“It is now time that a full review was undertaken into the dramatic changes that have been pushed through in neighbouhood policing.”