London Mayor election: Candidates scrap on crime figures

Monday, April 2, 2012
11:59 AM

Neighbourhood policing is at the heart of Boris Johnson’s crime manifesto issued today, with the London Mayor vowing to add 2,000 officers if he wins the poll on May 3.

Launching his vision, Mayor Johnson insisted London was safer today than when he took power in 2008.

“We have made progress despite difficult times, said the Mayor. “At the Mayoral election on 3rd May this progress is at risk.

“The choice at this election is between taking London backwards, and my plan to ensure we have the resources to maintain the extra 1,000 police numbers I have put on the street, so that London is not just safer, but also feels safer.”

In his manifesto the Mayor pledged to expand every Safer Neighbourhood Team to include with three police officers and three special constables.

This will be achieved by 10,000 the number of special’s in the Metropolitan Police, he said.

Residents will get a bigger say on what community payback punishment is handed to offenders, via a panel in each of London’s 32 boroughs.

The problem of ‘devil dogs’ used by their owners as weapons will be tackled by doubling in size the Met’s Status Dog Unit, the Mayor said.

But Labour candidate Ken Livingstone claimed Johnson’s record on crime was much more poor than he claimed.

His team quoted Met Police figures stating knife crime rose 16 per cent since 2008. Meanwhile the Mayor said youth violence was down 13.8 per cent, with 11,000 taken off the streets.

“Boris Johnson has tried repeatedly to mislead Londoners - claiming knife crime is falling, when the Metropolitan Police say knife crime is rising. Broken promises on knife crime mean broken lives,” said Mr Livingstone.

“It is clear that decisions taken by Boris Johnson are making Londoners less safe. In January this year the Tory Mayor admitted cutting over 1700 police officers from London whilst he knew that violent crimes including knife crime, robbery, burglary and rape were all rising.

‘It’s time for a new approach which puts Londoners first. Ken is committed to reversing Boris Johnson’s police cuts and making Londoners safer on the streets and in their homes.”