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Camden New Journal - by SARA NEWMAN
Published: 25 October 2007

Cllr Keith Moffitt with some of the 18 new police community support officers on Inverness Street on Friday

Trade fuels ‘drugs capital’ tag

Police chief calls for halt to sales of scales and pipes that boost reputation

TRADERS have been urged to stop selling items such as scales and pipes that help give Camden Town its reputation as a drugs capital.
The plea has come from police Borough Commander Superintendent Mark Heath. But he added that, while he was concerned about the sale of items such as bongs (pipes used to smoke cannabis), nobody wanted to change the area’s uniqueness.
New Journal reporters have witnessed newsagents selling 50p wraps of steel wool, believed to be used to take crack cocaine.
Supt Heath was speaking as Camden Town’s 18 new police community support officers (PCSOs) and 10 police constables posed for the cameras in Inverness Street on Friday. He said: “People have come up to us and said what a difference these people are making. The test of today will be the partnership in the future.”
Inspector Paul Morris believed that building confidence between police and traders would lead to a reduction in crime. He added: “We can only deal with the incidents we know about. It’s about building up a picture of who’s drug dealing where.”
Some businesses have said they fear reprisals from dealers if they come forward with information.
Insp Morris said some newsagents were selling alcohol 24 hours a day, encouraging drinkers to hang around shops.
He added: “If we can stop them doing that and get businesses to collaborate it can work. Everyone has a small part to play in what can be a great success.”
Insp Morris said police officers would be on the streets between 10pm and 6am. He added: “We wish we could have police on the street every hour of the day but we have to measure our response to everybody in the borough.”
Matthew McMillan, operations manager for Camden Town Unlimited, said: “Businesses have been crying out for a large, high-visibility force.”
His group of traders has agreed to chip in extra money on top of business rates to pay for extra support.
PCSOs have the power to legally detain a suspect, with reasonable force if necessary, for 30 minutes, pending the arrival of a police constable. They also have some stop-and-search powers.

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