I had a rather interesting private chat with a couple of the top cops in Barnet last week. It was really interesting for me to discuss various issues with them such as their views on what the main challenges and priorities in Barnet are. I think that this is one subject which has probably been rather neglected by the blogs in Barnet.
This time last year, I was spending most of my waking hours out on the streets canvassing for the Lib Dems in Mill Hill (how long ago that seems now). In hindsight (given the abject failure of my campaign), it is perhaps surprising that I took so many positives out of the experience. The one thing which came over time and time again was that the ordinary voters of Mill Hill were far more interested in issues of policing than of local politics.
It was quite illuminating to hear different peoples perception of local crime. I knocked on the door of one gentlemen who told me there was a vicous local gang making everyones a misery in one street. They detailed horrible tales of drug dealing, gang fights, robbery and extortion. I asked "have you personally been a victim?", the answer "Not yet". I asked another neighbour, five doors down about this "Oh, they are just a bunch of teenagers who hang around on the green over there, because they are bored". What about the drug dealing? "Yes they do have the occasional spliff, but they aren't really a problem.". Two people, two completely different perceptions. Even more interesting was the fact that both people had been canvassed shortly before by my Conservative adversary, Councillor John Hart. The person living in fear said "That John Hart had the right idea, he said he'd put yobbo's in the stocks if they terrorised the neighbours" (of course, sadly even for a Jedi Knight like John, this is pure fantasy). I suspect they were big fans of John. My cautious observation that "You can't actually do that" went down like a lead balloon. Mr Hart hadn't made such a good impression on the neighbours - "He seemed completely out of touch" they said.
So what is the view of the local Police. Barnet doesn't have the social problems of certain other boroughs. There are trouble hotspots and low level gang activities, but not on a scale comparable with some Boroughs. They are not complacent, because if they were, what we see as isolated experiences would risk becoming more commonplace. The biggest worries are the effects of budget cuts.
In the 1980's there was a huge disconnect between the Police and the general public. The Police and the Politicians recognised this, got them out of the squad cars and back on the beat. Efforts were put into community engagement and building bridges. The Met has put an enormous amount of effort into modernising the attitudes of the men and women on the front line. Has it been successful? Well according to our top cops in Barnet, yes. I do however regularly chat with quite a few lower ranking police. I'm not sure that they see the world through the same eyes as their bosses. If you have a few beers with any of the coppers I know, at some point they will hush their voices and say "I'd get the sack for saying this, but....."
In many cases this is because they see the worst of humanity on a daily basis. When it comes down to it, the Police are a thin blue line. I suspect that if ever London went up in flames, due to anarchy and insurrection, Barnet would be the last Borough to go up. It's probably one of the reasons we pay such hugely inflated house prices to live here. Most of the time, the Police do a good job. I suspect that most of the time, when they don't it's because they are stretched.
My advice, for what it's worth, to our local Police is to actively participate in local community forums such as the residents forums. Make themselves available to local people and local blogs for dialog and interviews. Policing works in London by consent and publictrust and acceptance. When incidents, such as those we've seen at certain protests occur, this can damage trust. It is important for all of us that this doesn't happen. Anything which adversely affects the ability of the police to prevent bad things from happening, makes us all less safe. That is why the Police need to maintain our trust and we need to support them.
This time last year, I was spending most of my waking hours out on the streets canvassing for the Lib Dems in Mill Hill (how long ago that seems now). In hindsight (given the abject failure of my campaign), it is perhaps surprising that I took so many positives out of the experience. The one thing which came over time and time again was that the ordinary voters of Mill Hill were far more interested in issues of policing than of local politics.
It was quite illuminating to hear different peoples perception of local crime. I knocked on the door of one gentlemen who told me there was a vicous local gang making everyones a misery in one street. They detailed horrible tales of drug dealing, gang fights, robbery and extortion. I asked "have you personally been a victim?", the answer "Not yet". I asked another neighbour, five doors down about this "Oh, they are just a bunch of teenagers who hang around on the green over there, because they are bored". What about the drug dealing? "Yes they do have the occasional spliff, but they aren't really a problem.". Two people, two completely different perceptions. Even more interesting was the fact that both people had been canvassed shortly before by my Conservative adversary, Councillor John Hart. The person living in fear said "That John Hart had the right idea, he said he'd put yobbo's in the stocks if they terrorised the neighbours" (of course, sadly even for a Jedi Knight like John, this is pure fantasy). I suspect they were big fans of John. My cautious observation that "You can't actually do that" went down like a lead balloon. Mr Hart hadn't made such a good impression on the neighbours - "He seemed completely out of touch" they said.
So what is the view of the local Police. Barnet doesn't have the social problems of certain other boroughs. There are trouble hotspots and low level gang activities, but not on a scale comparable with some Boroughs. They are not complacent, because if they were, what we see as isolated experiences would risk becoming more commonplace. The biggest worries are the effects of budget cuts.
In the 1980's there was a huge disconnect between the Police and the general public. The Police and the Politicians recognised this, got them out of the squad cars and back on the beat. Efforts were put into community engagement and building bridges. The Met has put an enormous amount of effort into modernising the attitudes of the men and women on the front line. Has it been successful? Well according to our top cops in Barnet, yes. I do however regularly chat with quite a few lower ranking police. I'm not sure that they see the world through the same eyes as their bosses. If you have a few beers with any of the coppers I know, at some point they will hush their voices and say "I'd get the sack for saying this, but....."
In many cases this is because they see the worst of humanity on a daily basis. When it comes down to it, the Police are a thin blue line. I suspect that if ever London went up in flames, due to anarchy and insurrection, Barnet would be the last Borough to go up. It's probably one of the reasons we pay such hugely inflated house prices to live here. Most of the time, the Police do a good job. I suspect that most of the time, when they don't it's because they are stretched.
My advice, for what it's worth, to our local Police is to actively participate in local community forums such as the residents forums. Make themselves available to local people and local blogs for dialog and interviews. Policing works in London by consent and publictrust and acceptance. When incidents, such as those we've seen at certain protests occur, this can damage trust. It is important for all of us that this doesn't happen. Anything which adversely affects the ability of the police to prevent bad things from happening, makes us all less safe. That is why the Police need to maintain our trust and we need to support them.
