Policing articles
Keeping children in police cells overnight is unacceptable and shames our justice system
The London Assembly Police and Crime Committee has called on the Mayor and borough councils to urgently work together to provide suitable accommodation suitable for children detained in the capital. Despite the fall in the numbers of children arrested, many are still detained in police cells alongside adult offenders.
Supporting the committee's report, Caroline Pidgeon said:
Supporting Pauline Pearce in Hackney
Caroline got on the campaign trail with Pauline Pearce, the Lib Dem candidate for Mayor of Hackney.
In St John's ward it was good to see a knife amnesty bin, but it's clear we need more of these in safe places in the borough - and we need a new approach to tackling violence.
Caroline and Pauline also went to Hackney Downs and Dalston Kingsland station to campaign for proper step-free access.
101 police line keeps too many Londoners waiting on the phone
Figures showing the lengthy wait many Londoners face in attempting to contact the 101 police non-emergency line have been revealed by Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat Londonwide Assembly Member.
Caroline's questions to the Mayor revealed that in 2017:
- Almost one million Londoners simply gave up seeking to get through to the 101 telephone line
- The average time during 2017 to get through was 4 minutes and 4 seconds, although in June 2017 it soared to 8 minutes and 20 seconds
Vulnerable children in London are waiting too long for the Met to improve
Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member and campaigner for better child protection, commenting on the fourth report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) on the record of child protection investigations undertaken by the Metropolitan Police Service commented:
“It is disturbing that 15 months after the first highly critical report was published, shortcomings are still rife in child protection investigations undertaken by the Met.
Mayor's Question Time, January 2018
In January's Mayor's Question Time, Caroline Pidgeon pressed the mayor in detail on how the Metropolitan Police are addressing weaknesses in their child protection service.
Fighting knife crime must include more youth workers in A&E
Caroline Pidgeon welcomed the Mayor's allocation of an extra £15m to fight knife crime in 2018, but called for more dedicated youth workers in A&E to focus on intervention and support for every victim.
On the beat with East Dulwich police
As part of the "Walk The Met" initiative, Caroline spent time with East Dulwich police officers Simon and Tricia learning about life in frontline policing, especially the stretch on the police over the Christmas period.
Met should end perk of expensive flats for senior police officers
As the consultation over the Mayor’s plans to close and sell off police stations across London comes to an end, a call has been made for the Mayor to first examine the continuing practice of senior police officers being offered free accommodation in expensive flats.
Mayor's policing consultation is shambolic
Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member and Member of the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee, described the Mayor’s consultation on Met Police Services as ‘shambolic’ after the details of important public meetings were finally published - almost eight weeks after the consultation started.
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