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West End Extra - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 10 October 2008

London’s policing must be a ‘politics-free’ zone

• SO Boris Johnson has finally succeeded in forcing the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair, out of office.
That makes it one deputy mayor (Ray Lewis), one chief executive (Tim Parker) and now one chief of police to resign from Mayor Johnson’s London government and he hasn’t been in the job for five months.
The fact that reported crime has gone down in London by 6 per cent this year and there have been 21 fewer murders in the capital over the past 12 months seems to have not registered with the Conservatives.
The Conservatives have had their sights on Sir Ian Blair’s scalp even before their election victory in May on account of his perceived “political correctness”, whatever that means in terms of London policing.
This is a crazy situation which can only lead to a loss of public confidence in the police.
London policing should be a “politics-free” zone.
Westminster residents want firm, fair and effective policing. There is no place for Mayor Johnson’s current politicisation of the police.
Johnson’s deputy mayor, Kit Malthouse, even has the gall to call on home secretary Jacqui Smith not to appoint a permanent replacement for Sir Ian Blair because the Conservatives want to wait until they can appoint their own favourite, if and when they win the next election.
I am sure that Ms Smith will ignore Mr Malthouse’s ridiculous proposal. No prospective Metropolitan Police Commissioner would want to be appointed on the basis that they were the choice of any political party. The appointment of Metropolitan Police Commissioner should be solely on merit and experience, not on whether they are right or left wing.
For me, the only test of the police that matters is if my constituents in Queen’s Park feel safer.
I have to say that since Sir Ian Blair and Ken Livingstone introduced neighbourhood policing in Westminster three years ago, the effectiveness of the police has been transformed out of all recognition.
In Queen’s Park ward, like in every other of the 20 wards in Westminster, we have a Safer Neighbourhoods team of six police, led by an experienced sergeant, who know their patch and are dedicated to keeping the area safe for local residents.
For the first time in my long time as a councillor I can contact the police in the knowledge that they will be “on the case” without delay and will keep me in touch with progress. Residents tell me that neighbourhood policing is working.
If this is “politically correct” policing then we have a lot to thank Sir Ian Blair for.
Mayor Johnson must need his head examining if this is all now to be put at risk.
I don’t know why the Conservatives are playing politics with London’s police. Perhaps it is their inexperience? Perhaps they just want to grab the newspaper and TV headlines? Perhaps Kit Malthouse and Boris Johnson want to show us all how important they now are? But whatever their reason they should stop – right now!
cllr Paul Dimoldenberg
Leader of the Labour Group
Westminster City Council

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, West End Extra, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@westendextra.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Wednesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld.
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Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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