Andrew Dismore

Labour London Assembly Member Andrew Dismore today warned that if Boris Johnson’s vision for Policing in London is fulfilled, it could well result in companies like the now defunct “Met Pro Emergency Response” security firm being handed contracts to patrol the streets of Barnet and Camden.

Labour London Assembly Member Andrew Dismore said: “Following the Conservative London Mayor’s announcement of major police cuts, Barnet is losing even more police officers. Official figures provided to me by the Mayor reveal that in the past two years our  we  have lost in Barnet a  quarter of Police Sergeants, 13% of Police Constables and over a third of all PCSOs. Camden has lost 11% of its police officers and 39% of PCSOs.

“Mayor Johnson now plans to “outsource” – that is to privatise – local police incident response and patrolling. In Barnet, the now bankrupt Met Pro patrolled the streets of Totteridge and was employed by Barnet Council to provide security guards, including at the Town Hall during Council Meetings, where their robocops intimidated local people and stopped the public attending meetings.

“The idea that a cowboy company like Met Pro could be replacing police officers and PCSOs on our streets is a terrifying prospect, but only to be expected from this Conservative Mayor.

Just look how they have had to draft in the army to help secure the Olympic site because private company G4S has failed to honour its contractual commitments makes a mockery of the Mayors plan for privatised policing in London.”

Ends

Notes:

1. Andrew Dismore is the Labour London Assembly Member for Barnet & Camden.
2. Police figures for Barnet  and Camden Safer Neighbourhood teams can be found at http://www.andrewdismore.org.uk/home/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/policecutsbarnet.jpg
3. Police figures for Barnet  and Camden Safer Neighbourhood teams can be found at http://www.andrewdismore.org.uk/home/2012/06/25/dismore-publishes-new-camden-police-cuts-figures/