• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

But the need is still there for local accessibility. The actual location we could argue about.

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

When you listened to the people's requirement or need or desire to have police on the street, you did not hesitate to say that this is where policing should go. I am saying to you, will you listen again and agree that the public should have access to police at all hours in a local area; local to where they live so they feel safe and reassured?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

I share your scepticism about an academic approach to the next Mayoral Election and I suspect you won't be leading that either, but you are right about the need for public education in terms of understanding the debate, not just simply a crude numbers one. What I am saying to you is that in your position and with your undoubted ability to communicate, you are in a uniquely good role to lead that debate. What I am asking you to do, instead of talking about 35,000 by 2006, is to start talking about operational police measures, effective policing, the use...

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

Are you aware that one of the effects so far of your very commendable increase in police numbers, which we all support, one of the effects has been a proportionate reduction in the number of civil staff with the inevitable consequence that more uniformed police officers are fulfilling civilian roles? I am sure you would regret that. Therefore, given that you have committed yourself to 35,000 police officers within the next three financial years, can you say how many more civilian staff you wish to see recruited in the next three financial years in order to support the effective policing...

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

I think one talent all of us will agree you do have is the ability to grab headlines. Could you then help us and use your talents to ensure that we get the headlines for talking about effective policing, operational police measure, if you like, rather than the much easier headline grabbing bit of 28,000, 29,000, 35,000 or whatever figure you choose to give?

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

I welcome the increase in numbers and I am glad you used your influence in purchasing that increase to suggest that with these new officers the value would come from spending time on the street. Are you aware that 23 police stations and counters closed between 1997 and 2000 and that 53 are open part-time? As well as policing on the street, local communities, where these counters or stations have closed, are feeling isolated and unsafe. You, yourself, said that pensioners need visible policing. Pensioners tell me that they also want their police station open. The Met sited shortage of...

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

Would it not be very much better for you to, instead of talking about just crude numbers all the time, be it 28,000 or now 35,000, actually started leading the debate on effective police resources? What is important to London is not just numbers of police officers but that they are being used effectively. Do you agree that that is the key issue?

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

Do you think that the MPA has got its priorities wrong in not promoting traffic policing as an opportunity?

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

In my work on road safety, I argue within the MPA and with the MPS that reducing the number of traffic officers reduces a much bigger percentage opportunity for catching criminals. Would you agree with this?

• Question by: Toby Harris
• Meeting date: 23 October 2002

The answer I was looking for was actually, "Yes".