MPA Direct - April 2009

Issue 5

This issue of MPA Direct is available as PDF document. Or alternatively a summary version is available below.

Full Authority 30 April

The Authority meeting debated G20 and public order policing tactics. Temporary Deputy Commissioner Tim Godwin reiterated his deep regret for the death of Mr Ian Tomlinson, echoed by members, and stressed the Met’s commitment to cooperating fully with the current IPCC investigations and the HMIC review of public order tactics. He also informed members that an officer had resigned for posting inappropriate comments about G20 protests on a social networking website.

The Chair defended the actions of the "overwhelming majority" of police officers during demonstrations, and the difficulty involved policing this huge event went unquestioned by members. But he added "Everybody in London and in the country has of course been horrified by some of the images of what happened, in particular to Ian Tomlinson. His family need answers, and they need answers urgently. It is right that there should be a series of Independent Police Complaints Commission inquiries into what happened. Sir Paul (Stephenson) has done absolutely the right thing in calling in Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary to review tactics.”

Outside City Hall a small demonstration by members of the newly-formed United Campaign Against Police Violence was held in memory of Ian Tomlinson, and a number of protesters in the gallery jeered intermittently as the MPS answered members’ concerns about the tactics used to police the event. At one point the Chair threatened to suspend the meeting as he was repeatedly forced to call for order: "I think it is completely wrong that a tiny minority in this chamber are seeking to disrupt this process and make it impossible for others to get to the bottom of it."

The tactic of containment and dispersal, widely known as kettling, featured large. Members were adamant that improvements should be made in the way future demonstrations are handled. Concerns were also raised about the potential for police cordons to provoke adverse reactions from peaceful protesters. And the consequence of law abiding protestors having been contained and then spreading disquiet about their treatment to their communities, had serious effects on public confidence in the Met.

Reshard Auladin, supported by other members, asked whether the role of TSG would be reviewed in the light of G20. He said: "Ever since this Authority has been in existence there have been issues with a few officers in the TSG. They are sent to very highly pressurised as well as confrontational operations and may become desensitised or battle-hardened and do not make the connections other officers do when they are policing."

In the final part of the meeting members agreed to adopt Met Forward as the MPA’s new strategic work programme for the Met. The strategy consists of eight work programmes. One of the workstreams, ‘Met specialist’, includes the establishment of a Civil Liberties Panel of members that will begin by considering the interim report from HMIC on G20 tactics. Once the initial scrutiny is complete, the panel will ensure any recommendations are implemented, continue to monitor the situation and hear specific concerns from the public and human rights organisations.

It was noted that the debate had only scratched the surface of all the issues relating to G20, but agreed to have been a constructive start for the Authority’s oversight of the unfolding picture.

MPA tribute to officers

At the start of the Authority meeting Chair Boris Johnson paid tribute to two officers who died recently. He said: “I want to place on the record my – and the whole Authority’s - great sadness at the deaths of two serving police officers. PC Gary Toms, a specialist firearms officer, died on 17 April. He had been in hospital with critical injuries received while responding to a call to an aggravated burglary the previous Saturday. PC Toms, who was 37, made the ultimate sacrifice, dying in the line of duty. He leaves a widow.

“On Wednesday 22 April PC Chris Dent, a motorcycle officer, was killed in a hit-and-run crash on his way home from duty. The driver of the vehicle left the scene but was subsequently arrested and charged. PC Dent was 36 and leaves a widow and three children. Our sympathy is with all the families, colleagues and friends of these two brave officers. Our admiration goes out to all Met officers for their dedication and courage.”

The Chair also thanked Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick, who resigned from the Met on 8 April: “I know from personal contact how dedicated Bob was and the immense contribution he made to fighting terrorism in London and nationally. I welcome Assistant Commissioner John Yates to his new role as Assistant Commissioner Specialist Operations.”

MPA mission statement for the Met: Met Forward

Met Forward, the MPA’s new strategic work programme for the Met, was approved by members at the Authority meeting on 30 April. Vice Chair Kit Malthouse said:

“The Met is an incredible organisation, whose police and staff are dedicated to protecting our city, and whose achievements are truly inspiring. But London is a complex city to police and to be successful our police need a clear mission. Met Forward is the MPA’s statement of that mission and sets out how the Authority wants the Met to develop and perform in the years to come.

“Met Forward groups work streams into eight programmes, which will drive and contribute to three key outcomes: to fight crime and reduce criminality, to increase confidence in policing and to give better value for money.

One of the workstreams, ‘Met specialist’, includes the establishment of a Civil Liberties Panel of members that will begin its work with a formal civil liberties scrutiny of the Met’s public order policing.

Once the initial scrutiny is complete, the panel will continue both to monitor the situation and hear specific concerns from the public and human rights organisations. We will ensure that the recommendations that emerge from HMIC’s review of public order tactics and training, following the recent G20 demonstrations, are fully implemented.

“Met Forward will also fully support the Commissioner’s ‘5 Ps’ and help him to deliver those aims.

“The MPA values all our Met staff and has ensured Met Forward will benefit our staff as well as the people of London and creates a fairer and more caring workplace. But the Met cannot fight crime on its own - we will work together with our partners and stakeholders to deliver a safer London for everyone.”

MPA Vice chair: statement following meeting with IPCC

"I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the family of Mr Ian Tomlinson. I know MPA Members are concerned about the footage which has been released and the MPA gives it full support for their investigation."

On 9 April Kit Malthouse met with IPCC Commissioner Deborah Glass to discuss the independent investigation into the death of Mr Ian Tomlinson during the G20 demonstrations.

“I reiterated the full support of the MPA and the Mayor for a rigorous and speedy investigation into the incident, and I offered the full co-operation of the Metropolitan Police Authority to the IPCC. I was specifically concerned to know that the IPCC was satisfied that senior officers of the Met had been fully co-operative with the IPCC investigation, and Mrs Glass confirmed that this was the case.

The Met have also confirmed this afternoon that the officer involved in the incident has been suspended, and we believe that is the right course of action. While we await the outcome of the investigation, it is important that everyone, including the media, realises that things they say and write in the public arena must not prejudice the outcome of the investigation or indeed any criminal charges that may result.

“It is worth reminding ourselves that the G20 was a huge challenge for the Met, presenting a public order situation of unprecedented magnitude and in that context that it passed off largely peacefully and without significant damage to property is to be welcomed.

“However the difference between the UK and many other countries is that we take the unexpected death of every single citizen extremely seriously and it is right that we should be vigorous in our pursuit of the truth in this case.”

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary: G20 Public Order policing review

MPA Vice Chair Kit Malthouse response to Commissioner's request for HMIC G20 Public Order policing review

“I welcome the Commissioner’s swift and decisive action in asking the HMIC to review the Public Order policing tactics used during G20, which will also report to the MPA.

"It is vital that the police retain the trust of Londoners and a thorough review by the HMIC will be crucial to help inform conclusions about how public order events should be policed in the future.

"The most recent footage of G20 is alarming and I also fully support the Commissioner referring the matter to the IPCC and suspending the officer concerned pending the outcome of the independent investigation.

“The MPA has already convened an urgent meeting of its members to review tactics employed during G20 protests and will be questioning the Commissioner about this matter in public at its meeting on 30 April.

“While we take this matter extremely seriously, it is worth pointing out that the Metropolitan Police are responsible for maintaining public order during dozens of protests throughout the year. The vast majority pass off peacefully, and the recent demonstration by the Tamil Community in Parliament Square is an example of this. Nevertheless we cannot afford to skate over even isolated incidents and must get to the truth and learn the lessons of both this incident, that involving Ian Tomlinson, and the G20 generally.”

Bexley Hate Crime Conference

Bennett Obong, Hate Crime lead officer at the MPA, attended this conference on Friday 20 March. He said: “A clear objective for the event was to raise awareness of hate crime and domestic violence services and promote effective partnerships.

Attended by 50/60 people from a variety of agencies, contributors included Jasvinder Sanghera, author of the bestselling ‘Shame’, Ambassador For Peace for the Women’s Federation of World Peace and a campaigner advocating on issues of forced marriages and ‘so called’ honour based crimes; and Banji Adewumi, who gave a rousing presentation on Equalities and the importance of Equality Impact Assessments (EIA).

Bexley Women’s Aid and Victim Support outlined the services they provided to support victims of domestic violence and other abuse.

“The local police attended to share what they do in dealing with hate crime, vulnerable adults, domestic violence, honour based violence and forced marriages. Clarification was made in terms of vulnerable victims, which included the elderly and frail, those with mental illness, learning difficulties, severe physical illness and those with a sensory or physical disability.”

 “The real work begins now as the borough moves into the future. They were reminded that the MPA Hate Crime Forum would be keeping a watchful eye on progress and will share good practice.”

HMIC inspection of Westminster Borough Command

The MPA’s job is to make sure the Metropolitan Police Service fights crime effectively, keeps London safe and that policing in London continuously improves.

Therefore we are very concerned that the HMIC Westminster Borough Command Unit Inspection revealed significant questions about the service provided by the Met to the people who live and work in the borough.

We remain committed to improving the Met’s performance. Since the inspection the Met has rightly worked hard to action the recommendations. The Authority will continue to work with the police and our partners on the borough to ensure this momentum is rightly worked hard to action the recommendations. The Authority will continue to work with the police and our partners in the borough to ensure this momentum is maintained and best practice is adopted from other boroughs.

 Kit Malthouse, Vice Chair of the Authority will be talking to the Commissioner at the earliest opportunity to discuss the report and to assure himself that an action plan to remedy the failures identified is being systematically implemented.

Met Forward, the MPA's strategic work programme for the Met for the next few years, will also introduce an assessment process that will review all Borough and Operational Command Units to ensure they are delivering targets and performance, with the successful units being awarded the Authority's mark of achievement, the 'Met Standard'.

Additionally the Police Reform Act places the Borough Command Unit (BCU) at the forefront of community and neighbourhood policing and will increasingly make them directly accountable to local communities for service delivery.

It is vital then to continue to scrutinise their performance, encourage and sustain continuous improvement across a range of performance areas, and identify those boroughs in danger of ‘failing’ in order to provide appropriate support and intervention.

MPA arrangements for independent review of the Babar Ahmad case

The MPA has appointed Sir Geoffrey Grigson (retired Supreme Court judge) to oversee, on behalf of the Authority, the review by Commander Craig Denholm of the handling of the Babar Ahmad case. The review will encompass aspects of the case from Mr Ahmad's arrest through to the out of court settlement. Draft terms of reference have been finalised and the methodology and time scales discussed. Sir Geoffrey is clear about reporting lines and the need to demonstrate transparency and independence.

Cindy Butts appointed non-executive member of the Board of Communities and Local Government

Cindy Butts has been appointed a non-executive member of the Board of Communities and Local Government. This department supports ministers to achieve their objectives and make sure its work is conducted efficiently and effectively.

 Congratulations

London crime figures continue to fall

Commenting on the Met's annual crime figures, MPA Vice Chair Kit Malthouse said:

"These latest crime figures are good news for Londoners. I want to commend the Met for its determination in tackling those offences of most concern to our communities, in particular street crime and violence, with crime in London now at its lowest level for ten years. The success reflected in the figures is the direct result of the unstinting efforts put in by police officers and staff across London and anti-crime initiatives that we have worked hard with the Met to put in place.

"Overall, the reduction in crime is a positive achievement for the Met this year. Total recorded crime in London is down by 2.2%, 18,621 fewer crimes when comparing 2008/09 with 2007/08. Youth violence has also dropped, proving that the Blunt 2 strategy, which uses knife arches to detect whether people are carrying weapons, is working. There are 2,209 fewer victims of youth violence than last year. This figure also exceeds the target set for the Met by the MPA. The MPA sets deliberately tough, testing targets that will stretch the Met, but that we believe are fully achievable with a more focused and tightly defined use of intelligence-led policing together with more effective resource management.

"Most crime categories, apart from hate crime (including rape) and business crime, show a year on year reduction, with the overall sanction detection rate continuing to rise to 26.2%. "Hate crime offences, domestic violence and recorded rape have all seen increases in crimes recorded by the police this year. It may be that increases in reported crime reflect increased confidence that the police will take such matters seriously, and the rise in sanction detections in this area though still at a low level, is encouraging. The increase in business crime reflects the growth of shop lifting offences and may be directly connected to the current economic situation in the capital.

"The MPA knows full well that there is still much work to do and we will continue to scrutinise progress to ensure the service provided to Londoners gets better year on year. The MPA and the Met will continue to work together to tackle criminality, achieve results and make London a safer city for all our communities."

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