{"id":27362,"date":"2018-11-30T12:30:18","date_gmt":"2018-11-30T12:30:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thevoiceoflondon.co.uk\/?p=27362"},"modified":"2018-11-30T12:30:18","modified_gmt":"2018-11-30T12:30:18","slug":"met-police-considers-putting-armed-foot-patrols-in-london","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/met-police-considers-putting-armed-foot-patrols-in-london\/","title":{"rendered":"Met police considers armed patrols to stop gang violence"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Metropolitan Police could be deploying armed foot patrols in London areas where \u201cgang activity is likely\u201d to prevent violence.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, told<\/a> the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee on Thursday that armed officers could take a \u201cshort foot patrol\u201d during \u201cextreme circumstances\u201d to deal with serious outbreaks of violence. <\/span><\/p>\n

She added that the practice would not be routine. Instead, it would only be done in \u201cunusual circumstances\u201d when the threat of gang violence is \u201cimminent\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

The patrols would be carried out by officers from armed response vehicles that routinely patrol London and they would provide support to neighborhood police and specialist teams.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ms. Dick said that armed officers were \u201calready\u201d getting out of this vehicles to support unarmed colleagues at violent incidents. She insisted that the practice would only be \u201chalf a step on\u201d from the current situation and it would represent a \u201csmall change in tactic in extreme circumstances\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sir Stephen House, the Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner, told the same hearing that the patrols were a part of a series of tactics that Scotland Yard was considering to \u201cget ahead of the violence\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Any deployments would be for a limited time only and done in consultation with local policing commanders, and after a community impact assessment had been carried out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Ms. Dick, an email for a limited consultation had been sent to a number of community figures in London. However, it is acknowledged in the email that the plan could be counter-productive.<\/span><\/p>\n

Len Duvall, the leader of the London Assembly Labour Group and a former chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority, said<\/a> that while people were used to armed officers at iconic sites, patrols on ordinary streets would create a different atmosphere.<\/span><\/p>\n

He also questioned why there had only been limited consultation, fearing that the practice would \u201csneak out and become the norm\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Armed foot patrols had already been deployed once in London in 2009, after a surge in gun crime. However, Scotland Yard was forced to abandon the scheme after it provoked a furious reaction from local communities as they had not been consulted in advance.<\/span><\/p>\n

The current plan has also ignited a huge controversy among Londoners.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Govt is to blame for undermining the police with devastating cuts. But the response cannot be ever-increasing Americanisation of our police. That would threaten our entire history of policing by consent https:\/\/t.co\/CP6H8Bqo68<\/a><\/p>\n

— Diane Abbott (@HackneyAbbott) November 29, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n