Minutes:
The Borough Commander had sent apologies, and so the Police update was provided by Chief Inspector Clair Haynes:
The two current BCU pathfinder mergers were ongoing and still being assessed. No decisions had yet been taken on the final composition of the BCU concerning Bromley. This would be taken by the end of the year. It was expected that two more BCUs would go live in the near future.
Concerning Police numbers, it was sadly the case that £400m of savings was still required. It was anticipated that the current number of Police officers (32,000) would reduce to 31,000 by the end of 2018. Eventually, the total number could fall to as low as 27,5000.
The Chief Inspector stated that Bromley had a Burglary Squad which was currently in place, and would be retained. Mention was made of the recent murder that had occurred at Betts Park, and the fact that investigations were ongoing.
There had been an incident in Shortlands involving a moped and an attack on a 70 year old person. CCTV coverage was being pursued and the investigation was ongoing. The Chief Inspector advised that moped crime was a London wide issue, and that various methods of investigation were pursued in such cases which would include forensic tagging, checking dump sites, and generally looking for stolen mopeds and the offenders themselves.
There had been a murder at Knockholt Railway Station recently and a man had been arrested and charged with murder.
A new Detective Superintendent had been appointed as the new Deputy Borough Commander and that was Paul Warnett. He had replaced Trevor Lawry.
The Chief Inspector referred to the demonstration outside of Bromley South Police Station that had been organised by ‘Britain First’ and assured Members that a comprehensive policing plan had now been drafted in case there were similar incidents in the future.
It was noted that Penge was still a hot-spot for knife crime, and that plans had been put in place with respect to the Christmas markets.
The Chairman asked if there had been any progress with the identification of alternative buildings that could be used by the Police. The Chief Inspector responded that several buildings were currently under consideration. These included The Warren, Biggin Hill Airport and premises that belonged to the Probation Services in Orpington. This was an ongoing piece of work.
The Chairman pointed out that whatever new buildings were used, it would be important to limit the time that officers spent travelling between the buildings and their Wards so that Police time was not wasted. The Chairman suggested that the Police could make themselves more visible by meeting the public in cafes and community centres.
A Member referred to a recent incident on the Ramsden Estate where someone had been stabbed, and asked if any arrests had been made. The Chief Inspector answered that the injury was not life threatening and that the victim was reluctant to cooperate with enquiries. There were no witnesses and the investigation was ongoing. At the time of the meeting, no suspects had been identified.
A Member expressed concern that Ward Officers were removed from Wards to attend incidents at ‘Hotspots’. The Chief Inspector answered that it was normal practice to move Ward Officers to ‘Hotspots’ if required. However, they should not normally be removed for more than one shift. PCSOs (Police Community Support Officers) should not be moved.
A Member highlighted that, since the recent shift changes for the Mottingham Ward Officers, there had been occasions in the Mottingham Ward when both Ward Officers had been moved to incidents in other Wards. The Chief Inspector was surprised to hear this and stated that she would look into the matter and provide clarification.
A Member asked if there was a future for PCSOs. The Chief Inspector advised that in Bromley the intention was to keep the existing PCSOs in place. If anything altered as a result of the Chancellor’s Budget, then the position could change, but otherwise the plan was to keep the PCSOs in place.
A Member expressed concern that minor crimes may no longer be investigated. He was concerned that the offence of burglary was low down on Police priorities. The Chief Inspector explained that Bromley still had a dedicated Burglary Squad, and that this would remain in place for a long as possible. It was however possible that the position may change with any BCU merger. In some circumstances, the public were not interested in a Police visit, they just wanted to progress with an insurance claim. Ward Constables were visiting victims and providing advice.
The Chairman was pleased that crimes of burglary were still being taken seriously. She wondered why people would not want to speak to the Police and asked about the Police collecting forensic evidence. The Chief Inspector responded that where there was the opportunity, the Police would investigate cases where there was forensic evidence.
The Chairman expressed the view that shoplifting should also be taken seriously as there could be a link to organised crime. It also sent out the wrong message to people if shoplifting was downplayed. The Chief Inspector assured Members that the Town Centre Police Team had been retained. Plans were in place to deal with shoplifting and pickpocketing over the Christmas period.
A Member expressed thanks to the Borough Commander for the work that the Police had undertaken in connection with the Betts Park murder case. She stated that there had been a reduction in young people attending youth clubs and that the Council should reconsider decisions that had been made with respect to cutting back on youth services.
A Member praised the work of the Ward Officers and PCSOs in the Orpington Ward. She said that they were excellent and got things done. She stated that she would very much like the PCSOs retained if they wanted to stay. The Committee heard that the application process to become a Ward Officer was stringent. Applicants would need to show that they saw their future in neighbourhood policing.
RESOLVED that the Police update be noted.