Islington News: Commision on Young People and Safety in Islington, more stop-and-search, Greg Foxsmith, Martin Dinnegan, Nassirudeen Osawe

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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 28 March 2008

Cllr Greg Foxsmith

‘More stop-and-search to combat street crime’

MEASURES to tackle street crime in Islington have been hammered out by an independent group set up in the wake of a shocking killing.
The pioneering independent Commission on Young People and Safety in Islington was formed last year following the fatal stabbing of 14-year-old Martin Dinnegan.
The committee of councillors and independent members has agreed on a series of measures, ranging from more police stop-and-search to young people helping run youth clubs.
Its work was given extra urgency by the killing of 16-year-old Nassirudeen Osawe in Upper Street, Islington, in December last year.
The commission heard evidence over six months from young people, headteachers, police and others about the extent of youth and knife crime and how to stop it.
It learned that only a small minority of the borough’s 80,000 young people are caught up in crime and that Islington does not have a gang culture on the scale seen in other parts of London.
Among its 40 recommendations and findings are:
• People who carry knives and offensive weapons should normally be prosecuted as a deterrent.
• At the request of young people, the commission said it would welcome more intelligence-led stop-and-search by police, carried out sensitively.
• Islington Council should investigate the practicality of increasing the use of hand-held electronic scanning wands for police stop-and-searches.
• Young people should have more say in how money is spent on youth services and how youth clubs are run.
• Discussions with the Dinnegan and Osawe families about suitable memorials.
Councillor Greg Foxsmith, Lib Dem joint chairman of the commission, said: “We’ve agreed tough measures that should make a real difference to the safety of young people. We have never forgotten the terrible reason why this commission was set up. We have to do all we can to stop another tragic killing; the safety and future of our young people are absolutely vital.
“Islington is not a dangerous place, but these two deaths are far too many. Everyone on the commission wants to prevent any others.”
Labour councillor Phil Kelly, joint chairman, had called for tougher measures aimed at the minority of young people who carry knives.
He said: “Members rejected our call for the council to fund search wands for Safer Neighbourhoods teams to make it easier for police to search safely for knives.”
The recommendations will be taken to the council’s executive for consideration.

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