Alcohol-related crime and the 24-hour city

The Mayor is committed to growing the capital’s Night-Time Economy (NTE) and has proposed appointing a ‘Night Mayor’. This, coupled with the introduction of the Night-Tube, means that London is well on its way to becoming a 24-hour city.

A report published today by the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee – ‘Policing the Night-Time Economy^[1]’ – assesses the challenges associated with policing London’s growing NTE, in particular the extent to which crime linked to alcohol consumption puts pressure on policing resources.

The findings in the report include:

• There appears to be a correlation between alcohol and violent crime.
• London has more alcohol-related recorded crime than any other region in England.
• Areas where the NTE is thriving have the highest rates of night-time violence.
• While crime rates are broadly down across the capital, violent crime is rising.

The report makes a number of recommendations, including:

• The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) should lobby the Home Office for the introduction of a national definition of ‘alcohol-related’ crime.
• MOPAC should examine whether changes to licensing arrangements in London could alleviate any identified pressure on policing.
• The Met Police and MOPAC should review the demand that the NTE places, and will place in the future, on borough-based policing.
• NHS England should press for the sharing of information between London hospitals and the Met to be a mandatory requirement, to help inform crime reduction responses.

Chair of the Police and Crime Committee, Joanne McCartney AM, said;

“The Night-Time Economy (NTE) plays a significant role in what London has to offer to both residents and visitors alike. Our report recognises the benefits that a prosperous NTE can bring to the capital in terms of employment and business revenue, as well as entertainment. But it also recognises that with this comes a distinctive policing challenge.

We’ve identified a lack of clarity as to what constitutes ‘alcohol-related crime’, which causes difficulties when monitoring and policing the NTE.

The data we do have indicates a correlation between London’s NTE hotspots, violent crime and alcohol consumption. It is a concern that MOPAC’s figures suggest that violence with injury offences are more likely to occur in areas with a thriving NTE.”