Andrew Dismore

Policing mayor’s answers November 15

Police Information Notices

Question No: 2015/3821

Andrew Dismore

How many Police Information Notices in total and how many by borough have been issued for harassment or similar matters in the last 12 months?

Written response from the Mayor

The MPS does not use Police Information Notices – their equivalent within the MPS is the Prevention of Harassment warning letter – Form 9993.

The number of first instance Harassment Warnings issued for harassment between 01/11/2014 and 31/10/2015 across the London Boroughs is 5146 at an average of approximately 155 per borough (the numbers range from 256 in Waltham Forest to 30 issued in Southwark during this period).  See the full table below.

CPS guidance states ‘there are a number of benefits, including making sure people understand the law; preventing incidents from escalating and helping possible future prosecutions.’

The MPS only use these in approximately 12% of cases and there is clear policy and guidance in relation to the issuing of these warnings.

Metropolitan Police privatized services

Question No: 2015/3817

Andrew Dismore

Further to part  of your previous answer:

Corporate Real Estate – This is an outsourced service

Transport – This is an outsourced service

Business Support Services – payroll and pensions has previously been outsourced, and in October 2015 Finance, HR and Procurement transactional functions were outsourced to SSCL.

ICT Services – This is an outsourced service.

To which companies are the above Metropolitan Police services privatized; and what is the value and period of the contract; and from where are the services administered and delivered, geographically?

Written response from the Mayor

Details of all MOPAC contracts above £2,500 can be found using the attached link

http://www.met.police.uk/foi/c_lists_and_registers.htm

Children under 18 in police cells

Question No: 2015/3814

Andrew Dismore

Further to Question No: 2015/3509

‘Over the last 6 months, how many children under 18 have been held  a) overnight and b) over a weekend in police cells?’

Your response being:

‘Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.’

Will you now give a substantive reply?

Written response from the Mayor

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.

Hampstead policing

Question No: 2015/3813

Andrew Dismore

At last Mayor’s Question Time you said you would look into the proposal from Hampstead residents for a ‘crowd funding’ police arrangement. What is the result of your consideration of this idea?

Written response from the Mayor

To date, no resident or community group has provided funding for additional officers neither has the MPS received a formal approach to fund additional officers from the Hampstead residents group.

‘Thin blue line’ police memorial badge

Question No: 2015/3812

Andrew Dismore

Why were officers instructed not  to wear the ‘thin blue line’ police memorial badge?

Written response from the Mayor

Police uniform is an operational matter for the Commissioner and he has made it clear that he has no issue with this badge being worn

Tasers in Barnet

Question No: 2015/3811

Andrew Dismore

Barnet has the highest rate of Taser deployment in London despite allegedly not being one of the higher crime boroughs. Barnet has a 54.5% deployment rate where Tasers are drawn on deployment of officers whereas Westminster has an 18% rate yet is by far the highest crime borough. What is the reason for this and is this due to decreasing officer numbers in the borough?

Written response from the Mayor

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.

Synagogue security

Question No: 2015/3810

Andrew Dismore

The government has decided that synagogues need extra protection, and in Barnet nearly all of this is carried out by police community support officers, who visit synagogues once and sometimes twice a day at present. If they are cut, who is going to do this task; or will it be cut?

Written response from the Mayor

No decisions have been taken to cut PCSOs in the MPS.

Further to my response at Mayor’s Question Time on 18 November, the safety of synagogues and other religious building is something I take very seriously.  The provision of security to any venue is kept under constant review by the police to ensure that it is appropriate and reflects the most up to date intelligence available

Islamphobia,anti Semitism and other forms of racism on TfL  (1)

Question No: 2015/3805

Andrew Dismore

How many incidents of a) Islamphobia b) anti Semitism and c) other forms of racism have been reported as having occurred on TfL services or premises in the last 12 months?

Written response from the Mayor

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.

Islamphobia, anti Semitism and other forms of racism on TfL  (2)

Question No: 2015/3806

Andrew Dismore

What instructions are given to bus drivers should they witness Islamophobia, anti Semitism and other forms of racism on their buses, as to the action they should take?

Written response from the Mayor

If a driver witnesses any form of hate abuse where they or a passenger feel threatened or in danger, they are advised to make a “code red’’ call to London Buses’ command and control centre. This approach is backed with guidance in the Big Red Book drivers’ manual.

This means information can be passed to the Metropolitan Police Service without delay to enable officers to attend the scene where appropriate and for on-bus CCTV pictures to be downloaded as soon as the vehicle returns to its garage.

TfL continually refreshes guidance in light of incidents on the bus network and has been reminding bus staff to report any such cases to the central command and control centre as soon as they occur. It is also developing a poster to be sent and displayed at all bus garages and bus station mess rooms shortly.

From the confines of the cab, drivers cannot always be aware of everything happening around them. Their principal role must be to drive safely and remain in charge of the vehicle and its passengers, and not put themselves at potential risk by leaving the cab.

TfL and the police take the issue of hate crime extremely seriously and push for the strongest penalties to be imposed for offences. No effort is spared to bring perpetrators to justice as can be seen by recent court cases and the decision of one offender to hand himself in at a police station. TfL can also provide analysis of Oyster data to assist with identification.

Conditions can be placed on persistent offenders to prevent them using TfL services. TfL has imposed transport system bans for criminal behaviour through Anti-Social Behaviour Orders and, more recently, Criminal Behaviour Orders obtained with the police and Crown Prosecution Service. It is at the court’s discretion to grant such orders and any related conditions.

Islamphobia, anti-Semitism and other forms of racism on TfL  (3)

Question No: 2015/3807

Andrew Dismore

What instructions are given to TfL staff should they witness Islamophobia, anti Semitism and other forms of racism when on duty  as to the action they should take?

Written response from the Mayor

Please see my answer to MQ 2015 /3806.

Islamphobia,anti Semitism and other forms of racism on TfL  (4)

Question No: 2015/3808

Andrew Dismore

Do you agree that in the event of a passenger being convicted of an Islamphobic, anti Semitic or other racist offence when travelling on TfL services, they should be banned from using such services in the future?

Written response from the Mayor

Please see my answer to MQ 2015 /3806.