“THIS ATTACK ON OUR POLICING RESOURCES CANNOT CONTINUE,” SAYS LOCAL MP
Local Richmond MP Sarah Olney has launched a stinging attack on the decision by the Metropolitan Police to shut down the front counter of Twickenham police station.
She states in her latest newsletter: “Our constituency has been hit by the wide reaching cuts to London’s police forces in the past few decades and I have been dismayed to hear about the plans to close Twickenham Station’s front counter.
“As Richmond Park is no longer home to a police station, many local residents must cross the river to Twickenham to report crimes and to speak to officers at their nearest police station.
“While the Metropolitan Police’s figures report that the majority of crimes are reported online, most residents feel more assured when speaking to officers in-person, and reporting sensitive crimes can also be difficult for victims to do online.
“In addition, Kingston Police Station’s front counter hours will be reduced, while the next nearest station for some residents is Wimbledon, which will also have its front counter completely closed.
“This attack on our policing resources cannot continue, and I signed a joint letter with my colleagues, Munira Wilson MP, Ed Davey MP and Paul Kohler MP, as well as the Leader of Richmond Council, Gareth Roberts, to the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper MP, to underline the importance of the police counters to our respective communities and to call for the government to provide the Met with more funding to prevent these cuts.
“I have also submitted an Early Day Motion (EDM) which highlights the need for Parliament to recognise the importance of front counters to vulnerable people in particular who may struggle to report crimes online, and to raise the importance that the counters have on providing accessibility to officers for local residents.”
In the letter to the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, they said: “We cannot understate the importance of these front desks for community policing.
“Being able to go into the local police station is a crucial element of front-line policing, not only providing practical assistance for victims of crime, but also providing a reassuring presence and building relationships with the community.
“At a time when the Met is trying to build trust, cutting the ability of residents to speak with local police face-to-face is the last thing we should be doing.
“The time to protect community policing, and protect people, is now. We urgently ask that you commit to funding the Met Police in full.”
Twickenham MP Munira Wilson has repeatedly raised the issue of cuts to community policing with Ministers in Parliament, as well as with the Met Police Commissioner and the Mayor of London.
In a letter to the Mayor of London, Munira voiced concerns about rising levels of crime in Twickenham and asked what actions he would be taking. Munira has also challenged the cuts to the specialist policing unit in Bushy Park, which has worried residents (read the letter here).
On ITV’s Late Debate, Munira spoke about how cuts to Met Police funding are affecting our area.
“I know that our local police officers work incredibly hard to keep our community safe,” Munira says.
“Sadly, years of underfunding and cuts to community policing by Conservative Governments, alongside a crisis in recruitment and retention of staff, have taken their toll. I will continue to call for proper funding to protect community policing and keep residents safe.”
Some of Munira’s actions include:
- Writing to the Met Police Commissioner and the Home Secretary regarding cuts to the Bushy Park policing unit (here and here).
- Signing an Early Day Motion on Bushy Park policing cuts (here).
- Raising the Bushy Park policing cuts in Parliament (here).
- Urging the Home Secretary to invest in local policing at the Spending Review (here).
- Writing to the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan about rising crime in Twickenham (here).
