Questioning the Mayor's Police and Crime Plan

Starting in Lambeth from 9 January a series of sham consultation roadshows is being run by London Mayor Boris’s Police and Crime Office on his Police and Crime. Sham? Because they are only an hour long and pre-registration is required. Further details can be seen on www.london.gov.uk/events/policing-and-crime-consultation-events.

A proper consultation would require a chance to ask a whole series of questions about the details of policing each London Borough and the role in that of each police station, especially in the light of the threat to close large numbers of police stations, and open counters in libraries and supermarkets. Obviously many people will campaign against station closures, but many may also want to campaign against the idea of renting space in supermarkets, diverting public money into helping increase the profits for the likes of Tesco and Sainsburys. It is to be hoped that Community/Police Consultative Committees will ask the kind of penetrating questions that need to be asked. Given the wider implications of changes in police Council Scrutiny Committees may wish to quiz their Borough Commanders.

Here is my life of some of the questions that I think need to be asked.

How many additional crime categories did the police have to deal with in 2012 compared with 1997, 2002 and 2007?

What is the average time taken for police officers despatched from each of the police stations in response to an incident?

At the beginning each quarter in 2012 were the staffing establishment at each police stations: 

·         Police officers

·         Community support officers

·         Civilian staff

During 2012 what were the  total number of hours per station put in by:

·         Police officers

·         Community support officers

·         Civilian staff

During 2012 what were the total number of hours and % put in by each of the above groups of officers and workers responding to:

·         Burglaries

·         Motor vehicle thefts

·         Thefts from motor vehicles

·         Shoplifting

·         Traffic accidents

·         Fights in public spaces

·         Drunk and disorderly behaviour

·         Domestic violence

·         Rape and sexual abuse

·         Drug offences

During 2012 what were the total number of hours and % put in by each of the above groups of officers and workers in relation to:

·         Appearing in court

·         Attending training

·         Sick leave

·         Holidays

·         Attending meetings of neighbourhood watch, resident organisations and others

·         Police federation duties

In 2012 how much hours overtime was put in by each category of ‘staff’ by station?

In 2012 were all categories of civilian staff paid wages at or higher than London Living wage level?

Are cleaners and canteen workers employed by the Met Police Service or by contractors and are they paid at or above the London Living Wage level?

In 2012 what were the cost budgets for each of the police stations with regard to:

·         Repairs and maintenance

·         Redecoration

·         Upgrades of equipment

·         Energy

In 2012 were the average costs of holding detainees in the custody areas broken down into ‘staff’ time and costs such as food and non-food supplies for detainees?

How much money is predicated to be saved by the closure of each police station?

How much is the predicted sales proceeds for each police station?

In 2012 what were the annual costs of the police vehicle fleet at each station?

What is the predicted increase in fuel costs for the vehicle fleet if vehicles are moved to remaining stations thereby increasing the distances that have to be travelled to respond to incidents?

In 2012 what was the average cost of early morning raids on people alleged to have committed crime?

In 2012 how many raids were carried out in the early mornings on people with no history of violence who are simply wanted for questioning?

What are the projected rentals that will have to be paid to have police service counters in

·         Libraries

·         Supermarkets

How many individual premises will be needed to provide police service counters in libraries and supermarkets?

What steps will are proposed in respect of continuing to tackle the racial discrimination by police officers as illustrated for example in stops and searches?

In 2012 what is the estimated time and financial costs to the police service in the Borough of dealing with problems relating to

·         alcohol

·         violent disorder not linked to alcohol

·         domestic violence

·         care protection

·         vulnerable people protection

·         mental health crises

In 2012 how many stops and searches were made in the Borough by age, gender and race, shown Borough wide and by each police station, and the figures of whether arrests were made for what crimes, and how many of these crimes led to charges, and how many of these charges led to court appearances, and how many of these court appearances led to acquittal or custodial and community service sentences?

In the experience of the Borough’s police what % of people arrested need access to the following treatment and support rather than a custodial sentence for:

·         alcohol problems

·         mental health problems

What consultation has been carried out at each station with police officers, community support officers and civilian staff on what measures they think could be undertaken which will:

·         reduce costs

·         improve service

·         decrease wasted time such as at courts waiting for cases to be heard

·         improve community relations

·         reduce crime?

How much space in square footage and % of the total is not currently used as each police station? 

If the projected police stations are closed where will the police officers, community support officers and civilian staff be based?

What steps are being taken to ensure that police officers do not leak information to the press and other media?

What steps are being taken not to name suspects until they have been charged and their names become public on court listings, so as to protect the reputations of those who are not charged?

In each of the years 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 what was the percentage of chargeable crimes committed by (a) Borough residents and (b) non-Borough residents?

In each of the years 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 what was the percentage of people sentenced in Borough courts for offences committed in the Borough to custodial sentences who were (i) Borough Croydon residents and (ii) non-Borough residents?

In each of the years 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 how many Borough residents were

·         Charged with crimes committed elsewhere in other parts of London and outside London

·         Were subject to custodial sentences?

How many Borough residents are currently in prisons around the country?

How many Borough residents are still regarded as having unspent criminal records?