Crime and Police in Havering

Havering Liberal Democrats are deeply concerned about inadequate response times of the tri-borough East Area Command Unit and the proposals to close Hornchurch and Rainham Police Stations along with seven Safer Neighbourhood bases. Havering Liberal Democrats strongly support the committed work of Police Officers throughout Havering. We call on the Home Office and the Mayor of London to provide additional resources to the Met Police to keep our communities safe.

We believe that the Conservatives lost the 2017 General Election over concern from the electorate that cuts to public services had gone too far. Theresa May's record as Home Secretary was called into question with successive cuts to Police funding eventually resulting in increasing crime and our communities feeling less safe. We believe local Conservative Councillors and MPs have no credibility in opposing the proposals to close the Police Stations in the borough when they have been in Government since 2015 and until last year controlled the Mayor's Office.

According to Metropolitan Police Crime statistics, overall reported crime in the 12 months to August 2017 in the borough has increased by 4.1%. The figures are particularly concerning for the calendar year 2017, with reported crime incidents increasing from 1,348 in February 2017 rising to 1,606 in August 2017. This is after reported crime peaked in May 2017 at 1,671. The fiasco of the appalling response times to priority calls at the start of the tri-borough pilot are deeply troubling. This pilot would not be necessary if adequate funding for the Police across the three boroughs was available. We are concerned that crime is growing in the borough with residents feeling increasingly unsafe. With this in mind we believe that closing two Police Stations is totally unacceptable.

Background Information

www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/mayors-office-policing-and-crime-mopac/mopac-consultations/share-your-views-accessing-met

www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/metropolitan-police-to-hold-public-meeting-in-romford-to-discuss-potential-cuts-and-closures-1-5185834

www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/police-chief-admits-mistakes-made-during-havering-s-police-merger-with-other-boroughs-impacted-response-times-1-5195174