Liberal Democrats Chris Nicholson and Caroline Pidgeon have been assured by Lambeth Borough Police Commander Nick Ephgrave that there are no routine armed patrols of Brixton streets and estates. The assurance came in the light of press reports that police officers armed with sub machine guns were patrolling streets and estates in Brixton.
Chris Nicholson, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Streatham, and Caroline Pidgeon the Liberal Democrat MPA Link member for Lambeth, on hearing the reports, urgently sought clarification from the Borough Police Commander. They also wanted to know why the Metropolitan Police Authority and the Lambeth Community Police Consultative Group had not been informed of this change in approach.
Caroline Pidgeon commented: "I am pleased to have been assured by Chief Superintendent Ephgrave that there are no routine armed patrols of Brixton estates and streets. Armed officers will only be involved in intelligence led operations at the Borough Police Commander's specific request or as part of an Operation Trident response team.
"I will now be seeking the same assurances from the Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson at the MPA full Authority meeting on Thursday."
Chris Nicholson added: "Residents were obviously alarmed by these reports. Everyone I speak to is very keen to maintain our tradition of unarmed police patrols. This issue is particularly sensitive in Lambeth following the tragic shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes in Stockwell. I am pleased that the principle of unarmed police is to be maintained.
"However I have told Chief Superintendent Ephgrave that I feel that there should have been more information provided to the MPA and Lambeth CPCG on the change to a more proactive approach when this happened back in July. That would have avoided unnecessary alarm."