The Metropolitan Police are regularly redirecting nighttime 999 calls to other police forces, the Mayor of London has admitted in response to questioning by Caroline Pidgeon. Over June, July and August, the Met diverted 2,820 emergency 999 calls to other police forces to handle.
In response to questioning the Mayor has also admitted:
Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member, commenting on the Mayor's announcement that he is starting a new Violence Reduction Unit of specialists in health, police and local government to deliver a public health approach to tackling the causes of violent crime, said:
“This initiative is welcome and should have been adopted long ago.
Caroline spoke at a London Councils event at Liberal Democrat conference on what London needs from the Treasury's spending review. Caroline stressed the funding pressure on London's public services, particularly Transport for London and the Metropolitan Police, and called for a better deal for London.
The London Assembly Police and Crime Committee has called on the Mayor and borough councils to urgently work together to provide suitable accommodation suitable for children detained in the capital. Despite the fall in the numbers of children arrested, many are still detained in police cells alongside adult offenders.
Supporting the committee's report, Caroline Pidgeon said:
Caroline got on the campaign trail with Pauline Pearce, the Lib Dem candidate for Mayor of Hackney.
In St John's ward it was good to see a knife amnesty bin, but it's clear we need more of these in safe places in the borough - and we need a new approach to tackling violence.
Caroline and Pauline also went to Hackney Downs and Dalston Kingsland station to campaign for proper step-free access.
Figures showing the lengthy wait many Londoners face in attempting to contact the 101 police non-emergency line have been revealed by Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat Londonwide Assembly Member.
Caroline's questions to the Mayor revealed that in 2017:
Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member and campaigner for better child protection, commenting on the fourth report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) on the record of child protection investigations undertaken by the Metropolitan Police Service commented:
“It is disturbing that 15 months after the first highly critical report was published, shortcomings are still rife in child protection investigations undertaken by the Met.
In January's Mayor's Question Time, Caroline Pidgeon pressed the mayor in detail on how the Metropolitan Police are addressing weaknesses in their child protection service.
Caroline Pidgeon welcomed the Mayor's allocation of an extra £15m to fight knife crime in 2018, but called for more dedicated youth workers in A&E to focus on intervention and support for every victim.
As part of the "Walk The Met" initiative, Caroline spent time with East Dulwich police officers Simon and Tricia learning about life in frontline policing, especially the stretch on the police over the Christmas period.