Caroline Pidgeon AM, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the Mayor’s response today to her questions about the future of Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs) across London, where he failed to recognise that there would be a reduction in dedicated police officers for each safer neighbourhood team, said:
“The Mayor should come clean with Londoners and admit that he is decimating the current and successful model for safer neighbourhood teams.
“We currently have Safer Neighbourhoods teams which usually consist of one sergeant, two constables and three police community support officers. These police officers know their patch and are often known by local community leaders and members of the public. They have made a big stride forward in improving community policing.
“The Mayor is proposing to go back to sector policing which failed many communities. He is turning his back on the immense progress that SNT teams have made over the last decade.”