Zero Tolerance: We've been told by Dick Quinn (the Borough Commander) that "Operation Refresh" is definately not Zero Tolerance (this was when he was queried what would happen to people like the comb and paper lady). Equally, even those who advocate such a policy emphasise that it needs to be set in a community context ie zero tolerance of what? Bill Bratton, ex-Head of New York Police Dept., addressing senior British police officers, said:
No two cities, neighbourhoods or communities are exactly alike. They have shared problems, but they also have unique problems. Community policing and its ability to allow and require community input into police prioritisation and focus of resources.... is simply a better and more effective way to police in a democracy.”
Source:
Police Federation Magazine, March 2002
Broken Windows: This is another matter. It's one of those soundbite metaphors that means different things to different people. It is itself subjective - a broken window to some will be tolerably, maybe attractively, blemished to others. I don't think the Brixton policy has officially been termed Broken Windows, although the parallel gets bandied about. Rather Quality of Life seems to be the byword.
I think we should judge the results rather than the rhetoric. And, like hatboy, I'd say so far it's about right. All the things reffered to (the ticket touts, the begging, some of which is aggressive and some of which is supporting drug dealers, the parking on Coldharbour) have all been the subject of vociferous complaint from the community. The explicit emphasis on treatment and support, as well as enforcement, is to be welcomed though we need to be sure that the capacity for support is really there and that St Mungo's is not just being used as an inadaquate fig leaf. I'd be interested to hear what drug workers, who post here, think about the capacity issue.
Homelessness: There was a big arguement about three years ago when the Homelessness Czarina (Loise Casey, ex-Shelter) announced falls in the street count. At the time I was sceptical on both sides - the Government needed lower figures given that they were spending a bomb on a political hot potato but equally charities are not shy of talking up their issues. Now, charities like Crisis (which was set up specifically to address single, street homelessness) accept the decline and have moved on to talk obout the invisible homeless, "sofa surfing" with friends and family. The Westminster policy has been supported by Thamesreach Bondway (the hostel at Vauxhall) (see
here). So the policy in Brixton is not so far out of kilter - as long as the capacity is really there.
Cannabis: The Lambeth Trial ran from August 2001 to August 2002 (Paddick left in March 2002). Thereafter it was replaced by a modified version whereby
all juveniles would be arrested (they can't be issued with a warning without an appropriate adult being present).This has run since then and it apears to have levelled out with 18 adults being arrested for every 100 found in possesion (with the balance being warned). A slightly different regime will come into force at the end of this month, as a result of the reclassification (I'll post something on the Landor Drugs Swoop thread).
Why didn't Paddick do better? In his time, the borough was 150 officers light (c800) - now its slightly over compliment (c960). That's a lot, when you take out the fixed costs of officers tied to desks and computer screens. Additionally, the Crime and Disorder Partnership (which Paddick was instrumental in setting up - indeed the Commissioner subsequently claimed that was why he was sent here) - has started to work, with the Local Authority doing their share. The £3.5m Communities Against Drugs money (which came in post-Paddick) was extra resource shared between the police and the LA.
Tough on the causes: At last nights CPCG, the police gave a presentation setting out the Lambeth's position in terms of various social indicators (educational attainment, employment, teenage pregnancies, and so on) as well as in crime terms, relative to other municipalities and (specifically) other Neighbourhood Renewal Areas. Needless to say, it was grim reading. The reaction from the floor was as you'd expect, especially in respect of youth provision and school exclusions. Some old hands did comment though that, given the history of money pouring into Lambeth only to disappear god-knows-where, there would have to be a damn good case for demanding more special treatment. The police's message seemed to be "We can only do so much".
How much does St Mungo's get? Good question. At last night's meeting there was general bitching about whether Transport for London are doing their bit. Quinn complained that if he wants to put a poster up in the Tube station explaining what's happening locally, TfL want to charge him for it. He also said he wanted to find out just how much St Mungo's gets. If he, and we, find out I'll post it.
CSO's: I'd agree with newbie. They provide a reassuring uniformed prescence without upping the ante in the way congregations of PC's do. They are also more representative. Why is that - are people from minorities more likely to want to join the CSO's rather than the police?
