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HIT SQUAD FLIES IN TO CUT CRIME
Experts drafted in from across UK for summit
A HIT-SQUAD of crime experts has been drafted in to advise the Town Hall on how to solve the problems of drugs and violence in Camden once and for all.
The team of outside helpers includes university lecturers and researchers, out-of-town police officers and policy advisers from other councils.
They are due to run the rule over Camden’s efforts to rid the streets of troublemakers at a summit meeting on Thursday.
Participants will include Chief Inspector Mark Harrison who will travel from his job with Kent police just to give advice to Camden.
He is better known for tackling unruly youths in towns such as Tunbridge Wells, Canterbury and Dover – rather than tearaway teenagers in Camden.
But he is considered an expert after being summoned to the government’s anti-yob squad, the so-called Respect Taskforce.
Chief Inspector Harrison will give advice alongside scholars from the South Bank University, Metropolitan University and the University College London’s Jill Dando Institute.
Senior figures from campaigning charities Liberty, MIND and Shelter will chip in with tips and the Town Hall is also calling on its neighbours for help with Warwick Bentley and Natasha Bishop, crime reduction advisers at Islington and Westminster councils respectively, involved in the talks.
Liberal Democrats have welcomed the extra help and are adamant the expert intervention is not because they are short of ideas of their own.
Crime czar Councillor Ben Rawlings said: “We have been fortunate to attract some of the most informed individuals from a number of influential organisations to ontribute to our investigation. Their expertise will help us identify the best way forward for Camden and we hope provide some useful advice nationwide.”
But Labour councillors warned last night (Wednesday) the review should stick to local intelligence and not be blown off course by bringing in outside experts or university thinkers.
Crime spokesman Cllr Roger Robinson said: “You can get carried away with getting university people in and people from outside. It is sometimes good to get an independent viewpoint but we need to be asking all the local groups what they think. We need to ask the residents, the tenants and most of all the ward councillors. We know who the troublemakers are and we can tell them where the problems are. We have the best information.”
The Town Hall’s electric use of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (Asbos) – vigorously promoted under the previous Labour regime – will be one of the key topics under review.
The Liberal Democrats criticised Labour’s Asbo programme while in opposition but have yet to reverse the policy since striking a power-sharing pact with the Conservatives. With council surveys currently posting crime as residents’ chief concern, the partnership must get it right. The issue is generally seen at the Town Hall as a possible fracture point in the alliance with Conservatives largely wanting a more hard line approach than the Lib Dems.
Cllr Robinson said: “We have been waiting for this review to start since the election. It is time to get on with it. I have a gut feeling that the Lib Dems have changed their minds about Asbos. We need to continue with them because they do make a difference.” |
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