New Home Office statistics have revealed that a shocking 81% of burglaries went unsolved across London in the year ending June 2023. This is equivalent to 141 burglaries going unsolved across the capital every single day. Meanwhile, only 5.2% of cases resulted in a suspect being charged or summonsed.
Speaking to ITV London, Caroline Pidgeon expressed deep concern at rising incidents of hate crime in London and stressed the need for it to be investigated and acted on.
Caroline said:
Antisemitism, Islamophobia and hate crimes of any kind are completely unacceptable.
As new figures revealed that the Metropolitan Police is failing to reach its target for recruiting new officers, despite a large increase in its advertising budget, Caroline Pidgeon said:
As the Metropolitan Police announced that it could take over two years to root out officers who have breached standards or failed vetting, Caroline Pidgeon highlighted the scale of the problems the service faces:
"These shocking figures once again demonstrate the extent of the crisis within the Met.
"Many people will also be asking the question: is two years fast enough, given the already significant damage to public confidence in the service?
The Met will not be reviewing the decision to allow a high-ranking Scotland Yard officer to keep his job despite being found to be paying prostitutes, according to an answer provided to Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon.
In May this year, an investigation by the Evening Standard revealed that a high-flying Scotland Yard officer who has a key role in helping recruit women to the force was allowed to keep his job despite paying hundreds of pounds to use prostitutes.
Commenting on the anniversary of Sir Mark Rowley's appointment as the Met Police Commissioner, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member and Police & Crime Spokesperson Caroline Pidgeon AM said:
“This year has been a tough year for the Met in light of the release of the Baroness Casey Review and its clear conclusions of institutional sexism, racism, and homophobia alongside bullying.
Caroline Pidgeon's questions to the Mayor have revealed that since January 2022, the Met have conducted over 6,000 stop and searches without the required video recording.
Caroline said:
“We have seen over the last few decades how the disproportionate use of stop and search has led to decreased levels of trust between the police and communities. Stop and search is still being used three times more on black people in London than it is on white people.
Responding to the Met’s apology over the Daniel Morgan murder probe, Caroline Pidgeon said:
"The apology by the Met today is a welcome and long overdue move.
"The repeated trauma that Daniel Morgan's family have had to go through over the years is something no one should ever have to experience and should never be allowed to happen again.
"It is now vital the Met learns from this case and stamps out corruption at every level."
Responding to the publication of the Met’s turnaround plan, “A New Met for London 2023-2025”, Caroline Pidgeon said:
“The plans laid out today by the Met represent a welcome shift in tone and focus, even if long overdue. In particular, the shift of resources towards the boroughs is something we have long campaigned in favour of.
“Central government now needs to back the turnaround plan with funding, resources and staff; alongside new powers to enable the Met to remove corrupt officers quickly.
In the London Assembly, Caroline Pidgeon spoke out against the Conservatives draconian & anti-democratic Public Order Act and Labour's passive support for the legislation.
Caroline said:
