Central Camden will see an extra 16 full time police officers patrolling its streets from early next year, thanks to the investment by Camden Labour. As well as Camden Town, surrounding neighbourhoods will also benefit from the deployment of these extra officers from Primrose Hill to Kentish Town, Somers Town to Haverstock Hill.
Local Labour councillors have campaigned over the last few months to protect policing in the area, and to call upon the Council to invest in policing in the light of massive Tory Government cuts to front-line policing.
Phil Jones, Labour Councillor for Cantelowes ward said, “This is great news for Camden. We’ve been out speaking to residents over the last few months and there has been real concern about the Government’s cuts to police numbers. Residents concerns have really been listened to and this £400,000 investment will ensure that all our areas are safer.”
The new officers replace the existing team of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) that the council had agreed to fund in the area until March 2012. While the PCSOs had made a genuine difference to cleaning up the area, residents feedback suggested they wanted officers with the power to make arrests and who would work the hours when most needed, rather than just daytime shifts.
Labour Councillor Abdul Hai, Cabinet Member for Community Safety said, “We took this decision to invest in a visible street presence in Camden Town to provide reassurance to all our different communities and businesses at a time of turbulence and cuts by the government. The new police officers, who have more powers of enforcement and arrest, will target these areas and drive down crime that will have knock on benefits across Camden to make it an even safer borough. Camden Labour remains committed to making the borough safer for our residents, businesses and visitors.”
Camden Town Labour Councillor Pat Callaghan added, “I am particularly pleased that the new officers will also now focus on the late hour when they are most needed. Camden Town has the fourth largest night time economy in the UK and there have been real fears about the levels of crime such as drug offences and thefts. This is why we all campaigned strongly to strengthen policing locally and ensure that the gains made in reducing crime are continued, despite Tory Mayor Boris Johnsons short-sighted cuts to police in London”.
Camden Labour have secured a victory for local residents as the government have accepted one of the party’s key demands in the campaign against High Speed 2. It has been revealed that the government is now in the process of buying the National Temperance Hospital site in Euston in the expectation it will be used for new homes for those forced to move if HS2 goes ahead.
