MPA Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board: Young Londoners demand answers to tackle youth crime

49/08
26 September 2008

Young Londoners explained their fears about violent crime to Met officers at the MPA’s Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board (EODB) on 25 September 2008.

Kirsten Hearn, chair of the EODB, said:

“I welcome and thank the young people from the North East London College, Hillingdon Youth Service and the MPS Corporate Advisory Group who have come here to tell us their fears and concerns about youth crime in London. Knife related crimes are the Met’s top priority and I also thank DAC Alf Hitchcock, who leads on this issue, for taking part in our debate. Only by working together can young people and police find solutions to the terrible violence that is blighting our communities.”

The young people’s concerns were wide ranging and included being afraid to go out at night, worries about disproportionality in the use of stop and search and the effectiveness of search arches.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Alf Hitchcock explained how Operation Blunt 2 is being used to tackle youth violence in London, and how other police operations are working together to ensure the most effective use of resources. For example, Operation Tyrol looks at safety on the buses, with an increase in the number of Safer Transport teams and transport ‘hub’ teams. Officers are now working on integrating this operation into Neighbourhood policing.

Several young people stressed the need for a broader approach to divert young people from crime and called for more programmes such as Kickz, more sports facilities and citizenship courses. Police agreed that ways must be found to tackle such issues as peer pressure, while providing more diversionary projects and ensuring employment opportunities are available.

Cindy Butts, deputy chair of the MPA, said:

“The Met are doing some strong work to support young people that are trying to leave serious violence and gang life behind. The five boroughs gangs project and ‘Pathways’, part of Operation Alliance, are excellent examples of this approach.”

DAC Alf Hitchcock assured young men in the debate that stop and search is scrutinised by community monitoring groups set up by the MPA, which give local people the opportunity to discuss with officers how it is being used in their areas and make sure it is being used fairly. The MPA has produced a DVD on stop and search to be used as a teaching tool for both police officers and communities alike.

Screening arches have been use extensively across the capital, primarily as a deterrent to stop people carrying knives, but as one participant added they only make people feel safer when police explain clearly how they are going to be used.

As well as operational policing on the streets and in neighbourhoods, police are in regular contact with their communities, meeting with faith groups, holding ’street’ briefings in communities and visiting youth clubs. Safer School Officers have become central to this issue and are setting up youth panels in every school.

The Met has also been working closely with its partners, including the Mayor, the GLA, the London Youth crime prevention board and the London community safety partnership, to ensure the operational tactics used by the police are supported by youth reassurance and engagement.

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