MPA welcomes tough new targets of 0% growth for street crime and gun related violent crime in 2002/03

30/02
21 March 2002

The Metropolitan Police Authority today endorsed the Met’s challenging new performance targets to prevent any increase in street crime and gun related violent crime in the forthcoming year.

The ‘Policing and Performance Plan 2002/03’ was approved following acceptance of the revised targets. 

The Authority rejected the Met’s previous proposals, allowing for a 10% growth in both priority areas in 2002/03, voicing concern they did not send a robust enough message to street robbers and violent criminals that their activities will not be tolerated. Recent successful initiatives to tackle the problem of street crime have encouraged the Met to revise their targets dramatically.

Toby Harris, Chair of the Authority, said: 

“ Proactive policing proves that we can make significant inroads tackling the menacing problems of violent gun related crime and street crime. Operation Trident, which targets gun crime, and Operation Strongbox, which formerly offered additional support to those boroughs that required it, have proven their value to policing across the whole of London. 

“Currently Operation Safer Streets is tackling street crime head on with great success. Today the Authority was pleased to hear the Commissioner announce the initiative is to be increased to cover 15 boroughs and will be extended past its initial period of three months for an indefinite period. 

“Considering such positive achievements, we were concerned that the previous targets for containing street crime and violent gun related crime were not challenging enough. 

“The new targets of 0% growth will send a clear message to criminals that we will not tolerate any further incursion on the ordinary, law abiding Londoner’s right to walk the city’s streets in safety. We intend to make London’s streets uncomfortable for the criminal."

Another priority of the Policing and Performance Plan is to prevent any terrorist incident from taking place in the capital.

Notes to editors

1. It is intended that the Policing and Performance Plan 2002/03 be published on the internet on 28 March 2002 and a summary be distributed to all London households in May within in the GLA’s annual magazine

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