Tuesday 17 February 2004 5:52 am
Lib Dem Bridget Fox has revealed shock new figures showing that the equivalent of over 5,000 police officers were removed from front line policing in Islington to undertake other duties over the last year. That means that 14 Islington police officers were removed from normal duties on average each day last year.

Islington had the 8th highest number of 'abstractions' - police taken away from front line policing, in the whole of London from 2002 to 2003.

Lib Dems have recently released their detailed proposals for policing which includes a minimum policing guarantee of eight uniformed crime fighters for every ward in London for the next four years. This would be set out in a local policing contract, giving local people a stronger say in how their neighbourhood is policed.

Lib Dems recently welcomed plans to pilot local area based policing in Islington but believe that their plans would go further towards guaranteeing community based policing.

Bridget Fox said: "Liberal Democrats believe that local people must have a greater say in how their communities are policed - and a guarantee that their local police won't be taken away for other duties.

"We shouldn't have to put up with another situation like the Bush visit, where police officers left Islington for Westminster, and we had to foot the bill. During his visit there was a 20% increase in street robberies across London. This just shows what an impact taking police away from their front line duties has on crime and how important the local bobby on the beat really is.

"We're pleased to have the support of Islington police who will be piloting more community based policing but there should also be a guarantee that these police won't be taken away at the drop of a hat."

Facts

The figures taken from Parliamentary answers to Mr Simon Hughes show that in Islington there were:

2,147 police taken away from normal duties in the Boroughs to police state visits and counter terrorism

2,979 police taken away from normal duties in the Boroughs to police public order (including football matches etc)

545 police taken away from normal duties in the Boroughs to police 'other' events