• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 15 June 2005

Is part of that training giving them a better understanding of how the local democratic process works? I use the term quite widely. How local authorities work, what councillors are and do, so it is not something we must assume that police sergeants, even less probably constables, automatically understand. Like most members of the public they do not understand it at all.

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 15 June 2005

That is very helpful. All of us here are strong supporters of neighbourhood policing, that is a given. We are expecting a lot of sergeants, constables and PCSOs to be on the Safer Neighbourhoods teams. What training and guidance do they get actually in how to go about the interaction with the public, public consultation, and determining what real priorities are for a community, as distinct from the loudest voice in the community?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 15 June 2005

No, I know, that was not what I meant. Although in fact they are, I think, intending to be meeting regularly with ward councillors, and that is part of it. I think the police partnership with local authorities is usually at a slightly higher level than certainly constable, and probably sergeant.

• Question by: Richard Barnes
• Meeting date: 15 June 2005

Thank you very much, and can I thank you for your answer that you gave earlier to the Chair on how we are going to measure the inputs and what I call the `fluffy side' of politics and policing. How was it for you? What do you expect from us? Was it nice? Did he walk quickly? Did he walk slowly? All the fluffy bits, but is not the true measure of success at the MPS the manner in which it, one, prevents crime as it was asked to do in 1829, and secondly, we now call it public cohesion...

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 15 June 2005

Sir Ian (Blair), you mentioned, I think it was first time I have heard it mentioned, that you appeared to concede that there is going to be a difference between Safer Neighbourhoods and non-Safer Neighbourhoods. Yet it is your aspiration, it is the aspiration of the MPA and it is the aspiration of Government, to see that every neighbourhood will be a Safer Neighbourhood. When will this happen? When will every neighbourhood be a Safer Neighbourhood, and how do you believe it will be funded?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 15 June 2005

Thank you, Commissioner. I have just heard it muttered here that it is a very difficult question. It is also a very important question is it not, because I think increasingly young people are feeling victimised. We have had the attack on the `hoodies', search arches in schools, reference to juvenile crime as a `raging social cancer tearing away at Britain' and other such colourful language. The vast majority of young people are as law abiding as their elders. Antisocial behaviour covers a wide range from real criminal activity to just larking about. How the police engage in trying to...

• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 15 June 2005

Basically Graham Tope asked the question in exactly the same form as I would have asked it and I was actually very pleased with your response. I think it is hugely dangerous to demonise younger people, and I think even right down to the things like the curfews, in addition to what Graham Tope said, I think these are a problem issue for the police, are they not, and it is a situation where really it almost has a massive impact on your ability to engage with young people?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 06 April 2005

Just to take an example, what was your advice to the board on free travel for under-18s?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 06 April 2005

For the record, there has been at least one decision where the board made its decision on a casting vote of the Mayor. That does not indicate a cosy relationship in which the board is appointed, but not to exercise its powers.

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 06 April 2005

However, your Chairman loves freebies; that is a big difference, is it not? When we asked him about it he said he could recall that you had opposed it but he could not recall why you had opposed it, which suggests either your reasons were so insignificant he could not remember them, or they were so significant that he was unwilling to share them with us. Could you share them with us now?