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Camden New Journal - By DAN CARRIER
Published: 24 January 2008

Chief Superintendent Dominic Clout – ‘I won’t take a defeatist attitude on anti-social behaviour’

New police chief pledges to take on youth crime

‘I will spend time listening to what people actually want from us’

THE borough’s new police chief will go undercover in Camden Town to get to grips with its unique drug market, but sees violent crime among the young as his first priority.
Chief Superintendent Dominic Clout took over Camden police last week in a direct swap with predecessor Mark Heath, who has moved to Kensington and Chelsea.
In his first interview, the former King’s Cross constable acknowledged that Camden faced challenges that would not be solved overnight, but said initial meetings with council chiefs and community leaders had highlighted issues.
Chief Supt Clout said: “I don’t know everything about the geography of the borough so I am coming in with a new perspective, but it is clear that violent crime and particularly violent youth crime is going to be big on the agenda.
“We need to communicate a lot more with our youths, and work in our schools – for me it is about the confidence all our residents have that we are working to make life better for everyone in the borough.
“I won‘t take a defeatist attitude (to anti-social behaviour) – it is all too easy to put your head in your hands and walk away.”
He acknowledged the massive focus on Camden Town’s drugs market by the police and council that has seen 50 officers dedicated to the High Street but added that he was “astounded” by accounts he had heard of the area’s open dealing.
He said: “I am going to have to go there in plain clothes with one of our patrols and see it for myself.
“I find it astounding how (the dealing) has become the case. I am not going to come in on a white horse and sort it all out – there’s clearly challenges there that others have tried to deal with – but it is a strange situation.”
Camden police led London in cutting crime between 2003 and 2005 and won widespread praise for its handling of the July 7 bombings.
But surges in burglaries, robberies and car break-ins made it miss targets across the board in 2006/7, plunging it into the equivalent of special measures.
A five-yearly report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary published in November last year, equivalent to an Ofsted inspection, highlighted serious concerns over the morale of officers and described performance as “not strong”.
Crime figures since the June inspection have seen dramatic falls, however, with the number of crimes solved by detectives touching all-time highs.
Chief Supt Clout said a continuing focus on Safer Neighbourhoods policing in every ward would be crucial to guarantee future success with a highly engaged Camden public.
He said: “There is a good community base here from what I’ve seen. People are very engaged here, telling us what needs to be done.
“I will spend time listening to what people actually want from us.”

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