Police MQs Jan 18
Police merged boroughs pathfinder evaluation
Question No: 2018/0242
Andrew Dismore
When do you expect the evaluation to be completed; and why has it been delayed?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
drug dealers using social media sites
Question No: 2018/0256
Andrew Dismore
Reports suggest that drug dealers are increasingly using social media sites such as Instagram and Snapchat to sell illegal substances to young people. What action can you and the police take to prevent this activity?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
Borough match funding for extra police officers (1)
Question No: 2018/0257
Andrew Dismore
Do you intend to continue with the Borough match funding for extra police officers scheme, in light of the pressure on officer numbers due to Government cuts?
Written response from the Mayor
The Met Patrol Plus Scheme which has operated between MOPAC and the Local Authorities since 2014.
Due to the level of the budgetary pressures facing policing, the Met Patrol Plus Scheme is currently being considered as part of the budget planning process for 2018/19 and beyond.
Both MOPAC and the MPS are clear in their desire to continue partnership working with local authorities and a revised policy in some form, will be in place in the future. For those existing contracts that expire on or before the 31st March 2018 we are encouraging local authorities to extend these agreements for a further 12-months.
We will provide further clarity once we have had time to examine the details of the Police grant from Government and have considered implications for the Met Patrol Plus scheme.
Borough match funding for extra police officers (2)
Question No: 2018/0258
Andrew Dismore
Which boroughs are using the ‘buy one get one free’ deal for match funding for extra police officer numbers; and how many officers are being paid for in this way in each of those boroughs?
Written response from the Mayor
As of December 2017 the total number of officers deployed to boroughs under the Met Patrol Plus scheme is 361.
Note this figure represents ‘Full Time Equivalent’ (FTE) officers and includes both the funded officer and the additional officer.
The breakdown per borough is provided in the table below.
Current agreements in place | |
Borough | Dec-17 |
Barking & Dagenham | 16.0 |
Bexley | 2.0 |
Brent | 12.0 |
Camden | 2.0 |
Croydon | 2.0 |
Croydon Town Centre (BID Team) | 6.0 |
Ealing | 14.0 |
Enfield | 16.0 |
Greenwich – Estates | 4.0 |
Greenwich – O2 | 5.0 |
Greenwich – Gangs | 8.0 |
Greenwich – DV Team | 4.0 |
Greenwich Schools | 4.0 |
Hackney (Homes) | 1.0 |
Hammersmith & Fulham | 48.0 |
Haringey | 6.0 |
Hillingdon | 15.0 |
Hounslow (Homes) | 4.0 |
Islington Angel BID | 7.0 |
Kensington & Chelsea | 41.0 |
Kensington & Chelsea – SIT | 2.0 |
Kingston | 12.0 |
Lambeth | 9.0 |
Merton | 4.0 |
Redbridge | 2.0 |
Southwark | 6.0 |
Southwark | 2.0 |
Southwark | 2.0 |
Sutton | 8.0 |
Tower Hamlets | 6.0 |
Waltham Forest | 8.0 |
Westminster – PBID | 1.0 |
279.0 | |
Agreements in negotiation | |
Camden | 13.0 |
Hounslow – Community Safety | 10.0 |
Islington – NTE | 4.0 |
Newham | 40.0 |
Tower Hamlets | 14.0 |
Westminster | 1.0 |
82.0 | |
Current agreements in place | 279.0 |
Renewal/Extension in negotiation | 82.0 |
GRAND TOTAL | 361.0 |
Cyber fraud
Question No: 2018/0259
Andrew Dismore
The Evening Standard has reported that Londoners fall victim to 3,500 cyber fraud attacks a month. What are you doing to detect and combat these crimes?
Written response from the Mayor
Fraud and cybercrime, as defined by Home Office Counting Rules, are reported through Action Fraud; these rules require a crime of this type to be allocated to the force where the suspect and line of enquiry is believed to be based.
As a result, a proportion of fraud and cyber crime cases affecting London resident are actually investigated by forces other than the MPS.
For its own cases and where a suspect lead is London-based, the MPS’ Falcon team make an assessment of vulnerability, volume and value. This generates charging options, but also the really important protective advice that can forewarn other members of the public about certain scams.
President Trump’s visit to London
Question No: 2018/0260
Andrew Dismore
Reports suggest that President Trump will visit London next year to open the new US Embassy. What is your best current estimate of the cost of policing such an event; and bearing in mind that the US Embassy already owes Londoners millions in unpaid congestion charges which they refuse to pay and the pressures on the Met’s budget, do you think the bill for policing such a visit should be sent to the White House?
Written response from the Mayor
You will note that subsequent to the tabling of this question it has become clear that the President’s proposed visit has been cancelled.
The US embassy currently owe roughly £12 million to TfL in Congestion Charges. TfL have been clear that the Congestion Charge is a charge for a service and not a tax. This means that foreign diplomats are not exempt from paying it. TfL continue to pursue all unpaid Congestion Charge fees and related penalty charge notices.
The cost of policing any visit from a Head of State to the UK depends on a host of factors including the length of the visit and the activities undertaken during that visit. It is not possible not provide detailed cost estimates in this case.
This is an example of the disproportionate cost of policing that falls on London as the nation’s capital, which central government continue refuse to sufficiently through the National and International Capital City (NICC) grant
Recent report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services
Question No: 2018/0261
Andrew Dismore
The recent report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services again found “significant weaknesses in the service provided to the children of London” to protect them from sexual exploitation. What are you doing to tackle this problem?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.