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Criminals can cross borders: the police should too
• IT is important for police officers at the beat level to be acquainted with officers in neighbouring patrol areas in order to co-operate and share intelligence.
In Fitzrovia, the Cleveland Street divide which marks the border between Camden and Westminster has been an obstacle to this local police contact, but with some effort, contact between neighbouring policing areas can be organised, as is already done on major crime and drug dealing.
From the beginnings of this Neighbourhood Watch in 2004, it came as a surprise to learn that local patrol officers did not have periodic
cross-border direct contact.
Promptings from this watch for this to occur were met with enthusiasm from Westminster. Camden were not quite so enthusiastic; from discussion with Inspector Peter Hughes of Holborn police station, the reasoning was that the computerised system made face to face discussion with Westminster beat officers largely redundant.
It is in the best interests of Fitzrovia for Camden and Westminster police to co-operate on street crime as per the wishes of the Fitzrovia community.
This will also help counter government directives and the compilation of statistics on different policing areas which then encourages them to compete with one another for the best stats.
Howard House & Cleveland Street Neighbourhood Watch
Out of sight
• THE old saying, “Out of sight, out of mind” carries much truth.
When the boss is off, don’t we work with a fraction less intensity than when he’s there?
But everyone knows that this is merely procrastination: the boss will return and expect the job done.
Nevertheless, it’s true that the presence of an authority figure encourages proper behaviour: it reinforces positive conduct and discourages the bad.
In no way is this more important than with the police, their visibility on the streets of our community and city and perception, both of their presence and of their effectiveness.
From this point of view, we are in trouble.
Our own community of Camden should be able to count on some 800 police officers who have chosen to serve and protect their homes, their neighbours and neighbourhoods, often at a personal risk.
And yet of these 800 police officers, only 80 are actually in a position to walk the streets. 80 men and women by themselves cannot effectively patrol a surface of 22 square kilometers.
They will inevitably miss large parts of Camden. They will inevitably be noted more by their absence than by their presence.
Over he past eight years, we as a community have felt less and less secure on the street of Camden. And in those same eight years, our current mayor has only responded with platitudes, statistics and more special task-forces that, however noble or well-intentioned their goals, simply drain resources from the limited amount of police we have.
Rarely has there been such an evident disconnect between the general public’s fears and perceptions and the dry word coming out of City Hall.
In these circumstances, and in this situation, it is time for a change.
G SPINELLA
West End Lane, NW6
Local heroes
• THE Camden Borough Commander’s commendations (week ending March 14) to PCs Mark Howell and Simon Davidson of Gospel Oak Safer Neighbourhoods (SN) police team highlight a year-on-year reduction of reported crime and anti-social behaviour in the ward by over 60 per cent.
SN policing dedicates over 8,000 hours of professional team service per year to the Gospel Oak ward, and the detailed area knowledge built up by hardworking SN officers has produced an ongoing culture of successful, constructive engagement at every level. This model is being replicated elsewhere in Camden and indeed England and Wales as a whole – it is nothing less than a revolution in accountable policing which deserves far greater attention than it routinely receives in our local and national press.
CHRIS FAGG
Chair Gospel Oak Safer Neighbourhood Citizens Panel
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