Put cops in electric cars

Published: 23 July, 2010

• I FULLY endorse the comments of James Slattery (Curb police car speeds, July 16).

I too have regularly witnessed police vehicles racing down Highbury Park with lights and sirens blaring until they reach the rear of the non-operational Highbury Vale police station.

I appreciate that parts of Highbury are designated as crime hotspots, but I refuse to believe that the amount of serious crime committed within this defunct police station itself is enough to warrant this level of rapid response.

I note that since the police transformed themselves from a force to a service there has been a marked decrease in foot patrols at night.

I fully understand the reluctance of senior officers to risk the safety of staff by allowing them to venture out on foot, given the high incidence of violent crime in Islington.

However, there is a solution, which is to replace all non-emergency patrol vehicles with the two-seat electric smart cars favoured by parking enforcement officers.

These vehicles have been a great success in assisting council staff in the 24-hour harassment of residents and businesses.

I’m sure they would be equally invaluable should they be deployed by the police to patrol our streets and harass criminals and vandals.

This would also have a positive cost and environmental impact, and protect the public from the excessive and unnecessary risk posed by speeding patrol cars.

DAVE BARNES
Highbury Quadrant, N5