Local Assembly Member and Borough Commander discuss police cuts
Police cuts, borough mergers and the use of stop and search were discussed at a meeting between local London Assembly Member, Jennette Arnold OBE AM and Metropolitan Police Borough Commander, Richard Tucker, this week. Ms Arnold requested the meeting to address rising pressures on local police services stemming from cuts to the Met budget and rising levels of violent crime.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has stepped in to protect local policing by ensuring every ward in the capital has at least two dedicated neighbourhood officers and one Police Community Support Officer (PCSO). However, Detective Chief Superintendent Tucker expressed concerns about the wider impact of government austerity measures on officer numbers across the borough.
The latest data from the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) shows that Waltham Forest has lost 60 police officers in the last two years.
Detective Chief Superintendent Tucker also told Ms Arnold during the meeting that local police had been deploying a number of tactics to tackle rising violent crime, including the use of stop and search under Section 60 (S60) powers.
Data from the past 12 months shows that 639 stop and searches have been carried out under S60 powers in Waltham Forest. This comes as the number of knife crime offences reached 525 in the same period, an increase of 29% compared with the same period last year. Ms Arnold raised concerns expressed by some residents that the increased use of stop and search could result in the disproportionate targeting of black members of the community.
Waltham Forest’s police force is set to be merged with Newham to form a new Basic Command Unit (BCU). The merging of local police forces is just one way in which the Met is trying to save money after having its budget cut by £720 million since 2010, with a further £325 million of savings needed by 2021.
Local London Assembly Member, Jennette Arnold OBE AM, said:
“We need a strong local police presence to work with the community to clamp-down on crime. It is incredibly concerning to hear about the strain that continues to be placed upon officers due to huge and irresponsible government cuts.
“The Mayor is doing what he can to protect local policing with his commitment to ensure that every ward in Waltham Forest has at least two dedicated ward officers and one PCSO. We need the Government to play their part and urgently step-up, reverse their cuts and adequately resource our police.
“Local police are facing new pressures every day, but it remains essential that during this challenging time local concerns towards police enforcement tactics are adequately represented and heard by senior officers”.
ENDS
Notes to editors
- The Mayor of London has acted to protect local policing and ensure that every ward in the capital has at least two dedicated neighbourhood PCs and PCSO
- Section 60 powers fall under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and provide police officers with the authority to stop and search people for offensive weapons in a named area without reasonable grounds
- The latest data from the Metropolitan Police’s Stop and Search Dashboard shows that in Waltham Forest, 639 stop and searches have taken place under Section 60 (S60) powers between August 2017 and August 2018
- Between August 2017 and August 2018, there were 525 knife crime offences in Waltham Forest, a rise of 29 per cent compared to the same period in the previous year
- Due to Government cuts, the Metropolitan Police have been forced to deliver £720 million of savings since 2010, with a further £325 million to make by 2021
- Jennette Arnold OBE AM is the London Assembly Member for North East (covering Hackney, Islington and Waltham Forest)