Victoria Borwick calls for greater community involvement in local policing

At today's Police and Crime Plenary, Deputy Mayor Victoria Borwick will ask the Mayor to introduce a Met Smartphone app for the ‘Met Police Beat’ which allows you to follow and communicate with your Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT).

Commenting Victoria Borwick said,

“The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police says we need to improve technology to engage with Londoners. This app could prove to be a ground-breaking way to re-connect communities with their local police.

“Surrey police have a Smartphone App which allows the public to connect with their local SNTs. It makes the police far more accessible as it provides residents with local crime information. It also gives local people the opportunity to have a say over local priorities and be actively involved.

“Most SNT police are very hard-working and this App will ensure we know what police are doing each day and allow the public to help fight crime through information sharing".

James Cleverly says the Metropolitan Police need New York style Predictive Crime Mapping

At the Police and Crime Plenary, Assembly Member James Cleverly will call on Boris Johnson to radically improve the Met’s intelligence system and introduce predictive crime mapping* in London.

Commenting, James Cleverly AM said,

“Money needs to be targeted at systems that can achieve more for less. Predictive crime mapping is a computer programme which allows police to turn up at an event and prevent a crime before it even happens. It’s welcomed by civil liberties groups as a successful, non-intrusive form of intelligence. And it will mean that we are one step ahead of criminals.

“There is a lot of evidence from the USA that, where predictive crime mapping has been used, crime can be significantly cut. These kinds of results cannot be ignored; so I am calling on the Mayor to test out this system in London.”

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Andrew Boff asks Mayor why £500k was wasted on an alleged increase in trafficking which never took place during Olympics

Andrew Boff, London Assembly Member will ask the Mayor why the Metropolitan Police was given half a million pounds in response to a misguided view that sex trafficking would increase during the Olympics.

Andrew Boff speaking before the London Assembly Policing Plenary said,

“Before the 2012 Games there was a great deal of hype around the idea that the Olympics would open the flood gates to sex trafficked women. Yet there was no evidence to support these claims. And now I have data that confirms that these fears were misplaced and there was no increase in prostitution or human trafficking*.

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Roger Evans challenges Met Police over waste

At the Police and Crime Plenary, the GLA Conservative Group will challenge the Mayor and Met Commissioner to tackle inefficiencies and waste in the Met.

Commenting, Roger Evans, the London Conservatives Police Spokesperson said,

“In spite of significant savings made each year there are still opportunities to make savings in the Met.

“I'm delighted that the number of police officers will increase under the new plans, but we need to tackle the inefficiencies that still waste officers' time. Custody can be very slow, with officers waiting up to two hours to book prisoners in. They also spend time completing too many forms which could be replaced with barcode scanners and new technology.

“Less time wasted means more time patrolling the streets, catching criminals and making London safer.”

Richard Tracey welcomes commitment to fund Northern Line Extension to Battersea

Richard Tracey, London Assembly Member for Merton & Wandsworth, today welcomed the commitment in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Autumn statement to provide a £1 billion loan to deliver the Northern Line Extension to Battersea.

Speaking after the announcement Richard Tracey AM said:

"This is fantastic news for London, and will be a vital piece of transport investment for my constituents. This will act as a catalyst for regeneration in the Battersea Nine Elms area, and will boost jobs and growth. I fully support the Chancellor's decision"

Victoria tells the Commissioner; “Let the public control police through an App!”

Today at the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee, Deputy Mayor Victoria Borwick asked the Commissioner to introduce a Smartphone app ‘Met Police Beat’ which allows you to follow, contact and rate your Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT).

Commenting Victoria Borwick said,

“This app could prove to be a ground-breaking way to re-connect communities with their local police.

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MQT Question List: November 2012

The following are a list of the questions our group will be asking to the Mayor Boris Johnson at tomorrow’s Mayors Question Time (MQT).
 
It can be watched live online at 10am tomorrow (21 Nov 12) here http://www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/the-london-assembly/webcasts
 
 

Predictive crime mapping

James Cleverly will be asking about predictive crime mapping as it could help London reduce crime by 30% using the same numbers of personnel.
 

Q: Over the past seven years, predictive crime mapping software is believed to have contributed to a 30% reduction in crime in Memphis, Tennessee. Will you consider piloting a similar scheme in London?

 
 

Transport Fares

Richard Tracey will make clear that bearing down on fares means cutting the cost of running London’s public transport. He will also highlight areas where other parties have called for more spending and lower fares in the same breath.
 

Q: In your view, is it possible to bear down on fares, whilst opposing virtually every cost saving measure introduced by TfL over the last 4 years?

 
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Richard Tracey calls for end to "Lee Valley Park tax"

London Assembly member, Richard Tracey today publishes a report calling for London boroughs councils to cease funding the Lee Valley Regional Park in five years with a view to making it self-financing.

The Park, which covers 26 miles from north east London to Essex and Hertfordshire, is part-funded annually by all London's borough councils under a 1966 Act of Parliament, last year to the tune of £8.9m.

Publishing the report, London's Hidden Charge: Ending the Lee Valley Tax, Mr Tracey said:
"The Lee Valley Park is a fantastic asset and I see no reason why, financially speaking, it cannot stand on its own two feet.
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Richard Tracey urges the Government to pass tougher strike laws

Richard Tracey AM, the London Assembly Conservatives' Transport Spokesman has criticised ASLEF for threatening to strike on Boxing Day.

Commenting Richard Tracey said: "Several years ago ASLEF urged their Members to sign up to a very generous new contract offer from TfL. This contract gave employees a big salary increase in return for being willing to sometimes work on bank holidays, including Boxing Day. This contract was freely signed. Now ASLEF's leadership are trying to tear up this contract.

"It has long been clear that London needs new strike legislation to require that 50%+1 of all eligible members vote in favour of strike action in order for that action to go ahead. This threat comes after the breakdown of talks that TfL should not need to have. ASLEF are trying to blackmail Londoners and, in so doing, have reinforced the case for Parliament to pass fresh legislation to take the Unions' feet off London's throat."

Richard Tracey urges the Government to pass tougher strike laws ow.ly/ffh1A

— GLA Conservatives(@Assembly_Tories) November 13, 2012