A triple stabbing on the Phipps Bridge estate last month has triggered a war of words between the commander of Merton police and Mitcham and Morden’s MP.

Chief Superintendent Dick Wolfenden labelled Siobhain McDonagh, and this newspaper’s coverage of a heated public reassurance meeting on the estate two weeks ago, as “irresponsible and sensationalist” in an open letter posted on Merton police’s Communitysafe website.

In the letter addressed to Ms McDonagh, published on Tuesday, he hit out at suggestions officers were more concerned about policing the Wimbledon Championships than the streets of Mitcham and praised their efforts.

Chief Supt Wolfenden wrote: “Rest assured that (contrary to your comments within the article) we actually do care very much and its because we care that irresponsible and sensationalised media coverage such as this can have a significant impact on staff morale.”

In response, Ms McDonagh said: “I was at that public meeting and Mr Wolfenden wasn’t. I was concerned the police gave the impression they weren’t going to take a significant interest in what had been identified as a long-term [gang] problem.”

Ms McDonagh said she wrote to Chief Supt Wolfenden but had not received a reply. She said: “I’d like to think I’m a great supporter of the police over the years including initiatives like the introduction of safer neighbourhood teams.

“But no one in public service can be above criticism, and that applies as much to me as it does the police.”

Additional police patrols on the estate are still in place after a man was stabbed in the skull.

An incident in which officers are alleged to have filmed and pinned to the ground an innocent Phipps Bridge student, who was mauled by police dogs hours after the stabbing, is under investigation by the Metropolitan Police Directorate of Professional Standards.