A thin line

Published: 16 June, 2011

• THE cuts the government are imposing on Camden and the rest of the country are starting to bite in depressing and alarming ways. 

But this week I was astonished to hear fresh news that Tory Mayor of London Boris Johnson is to take an axe to local community policing throughout London.

Safer Neighbourhoods policing teams have ensured that every area of London has a dedicated community team to tackle crime. They’ve made a huge difference around Camden in tackling anti-social behaviour and, if anything, their role is becoming even more vital.

Readers will be as shocked as I am to read that Mr Johnson intends to slash this community policing by cutting the number of dedicated police sergeants working on these teams in Camden.

With just a year till London comes under the global spotlight with the Olympics it seems beyond foolhardy to cut the number of community police in London.

As chair of the cross party council scrutiny committee looking into the environment and culture in Camden I will be writing to the Police Federation to enable us to have a true understanding how this cut will hit.

We cannot let the thin blue line of community get even thinner.

CLLR JONATHAN SIMPSON
Labour, King’s Cross ward