Streatham and Norwood's police forces could be merged with Brixton's in a plan to deliver borough-wide policing.
Under Lambeth police's Asset Management Plan the borough commander, Chief Superintendent Sharon Rowe, has also been asked to make the force less top heavy in management and replace some senior ranking officers with lower-ranking PCs.
Streatham Superintendent Jonathan Tottman recently announced he was leaving the post.
But critics have slated the idea to have a Lambeth force rather than the three separate sub-commands.
It follows the plan to sell off Streatham police station and open a front office manned by civilians where residents can report crimes instead.
The officers would be based in a different place and custody centres could be merged into one location to serve the whole borough.
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"For Streatham to lose its police station is bad enough, but it's another matter all together for the area to lose its own police force, with its own senior police officers," said Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat's Lambeth and Southwark Assembly member candidate.
"Decisions about policing in Streatham should be taken by Streatham-based police officers who know local priorities."
“Decisions about policing in Streatham should be taken by Streatham-based police officers who know local priorities.”
Caroline Pidgeon
But John Roberts, the Metropolitan Police Authority's (MPA) link member for Lambeth, said the plans would bring more officers to Streatham and provide a more flexible approach to policing in the borough.
"We want to reallocate our resources from management to street level," he said.
"This will get more bobbies on the beat, which is what people say they want. Sharon Rowe has been asked to lose one superintendent from Lambeth police.
"We need to start treating the police as one borough, rather than three separate boroughs. This would mean we can be more flexible where we send officers."
Mr Roberts said Supt Tottman's departure had nothing to do with the proposals. He added that no decisions had yet been made, with consultation on going and he invited feedback on plans.
"People are worried Streatham will lose its identity, but it won't become part of the Brixton sub-command, it will be a Lambeth borough command," he added .
Posted by: Michael Loveder, Lambeth on 11:11am Thu 24 Apr 08
At the traffic lights outside the front door of Brixton Police Station someone drove in to the back of my car, writing it off and injuring my children. It took the Police 15 minutes to get there (by car!). So what will happen in Streatham? If 15 yards takes 15 minutes 1¼ miles could be about 36 hours!
At the traffic lights outside the front door of Brixton Police Station someone drove in to the back of my car, writing it off and injuring my children. It took the Police 15 minutes to get there (by car!). So what will happen in Streatham? If 15 yards takes 15 minutes 1¼ miles could be about 36 hours!
[quote][bold]Michael Loveder[/bold] wrote:
At the traffic lights outside the front door of Brixton Police Station someone drove in to the back of my car, writing it off and injuring my children. It took the Police 15 minutes to get there (by car!). So what will happen in Streatham? If 15 yards takes 15 minutes 1¼ miles could be about 36 hours![/quote] It may surprise you to know that police don't sit around in the station drinking coffee and eating donuts waiting for you to call. police are patrolling the whole of Brixton and prioritise calls based on the severity. Unfortunately In a place like Brixton having a shunt in your car doesn’t come up very high in the list.
Michael Loveder wrote:
At the traffic lights outside the front door of Brixton Police Station someone drove in to the back of my car, writing it off and injuring my children. It took the Police 15 minutes to get there (by car!). So what will happen in Streatham? If 15 yards takes 15 minutes 1¼ miles could be about 36 hours!
It may surprise you to know that police don't sit around in the station drinking coffee and eating donuts waiting for you to call. police are patrolling the whole of Brixton and prioritise calls based on the severity. Unfortunately In a place like Brixton having a shunt in your car doesn’t come up very high in the list.
Posted by: Michael Loveder, Lambeth on 6:31pm Sun 27 Apr 08
Dear N (for Nonymous I presume). I take your point but writing off a car and injuring children amounts to a bit more than a shunt. The ambulance service is subject to the same sort of restrictions but got there much sooner from much further.
Dear N (for Nonymous I presume). I take your point but writing off a car and injuring children amounts to a bit more than a shunt. The ambulance service is subject to the same sort of restrictions but got there much sooner from much further.
Lambeth is the only borough in the Met to have three sub commmands. The other 31 boroughs can operate effectively from one patrol base. I agree with the merger, it stops officers and staff behind the scenes working in silos. Great plan for joined up policing.
Lambeth is the only borough in the Met to have three sub commmands. The other 31 boroughs can operate effectively from one patrol base. I agree with the merger, it stops officers and staff behind the scenes working in silos. Great plan for joined up policing.
[quote][bold]Michael Loveder[/bold] wrote:
Dear N (for Nonymous I presume). I take your point but writing off a car and injuring children amounts to a bit more than a shunt. The ambulance service is subject to the same sort of restrictions but got there much sooner from much further.[/quote] The ambulance service only have a fraction of the calls the Police receive so thankfully arrived quickly. In an ideal world you could have a police officer/ Fireman/Paramedic with you immediately but unfortunately the resources will never allow for it. A 15 response time is actually quike good for Brixton!
Hope the Kids are OK
(The N is for Nick by the way!)
Michael Loveder wrote:
Dear N (for Nonymous I presume). I take your point but writing off a car and injuring children amounts to a bit more than a shunt. The ambulance service is subject to the same sort of restrictions but got there much sooner from much further.
The ambulance service only have a fraction of the calls the Police receive so thankfully arrived quickly. In an ideal world you could have a police officer/ Fireman/Paramedic with you immediately but unfortunately the resources will never allow for it. A 15 response time is actually quike good for Brixton!
Hope the Kids are OK
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