The Metropolitan Police have called for courage, empathy and respect in their police officers – qualities highlighted in the latest recruitment campaign – Change Needs You – which was up and running at the end of July

Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley is spearheading the drive to increase the number of new constables in Britain’s largest police force – often described currently as “overstretched and under-resourced.” He acknowledges that London is “a tough environment” and knows that boosting numbers is a key factor in both fighting crime in the capital and winning over the trust and confidence of the public at large. This is much needed as the force has been rebuilding its reputation with genuine advances after a number of tragic and shocking cases involving police personnel.

Business crime though was the main focus when LBM met Lisa Maslen, Acting Superintendent, New Scotland Yard and South Area Superintendent Mitch Carr at the time of the campaign launch.

Engagement

Maslen is a hugely experienced officer with responsibilities across the capital – neatly divided into ‘north’ and south’ – who runs the Met Police Services business crime team which focusses on engagement, prevention and liaison. The business challenge is considerable. Take shoplifting. Across London the 38,157 reported incidents in 2022 shot up to over 57,000 last year – the majority of which were not attended by a police officer. Danny Beales, newly-elected MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, has likened some of London’s high streets to the ‘wild west’. The Met is a big and complex organisation and part of Maslen’s role is to help communities – including hard-hit retailers – navigate their way to solutions. “We need to reset our relationship with our partners in the retail sector to help them get the solutions they deserve to the offending they experience day in day out. I aim to ensure the impact of retail harm experienced by those in retail is fully understood by every officer in the Met and I am acutely aware that the lack of confidence and trust impacts on other crimes.” 

Concentrated

Carr leads on combatting business crime in Croydon, working with the Business Improvement District (BID) and others, to provide a safe environment.

Croydon is a big borough with 28 wards though crime is concentrated in the town centre. Mayor Jason Perry (Mayor of Croydon who recently featured in LBM) inherited a tough situation – the borough is formally bankrupt – and this has a knock-on effect for policing capabilities. Moreover, an abstraction rate as high as 40 per cent means that there is pressure on local visibility of police officers as they are mobilised as necessary to deal with demonstrations and sporting and other events around the capital. 

Community policing

Against this background it is promising that, following discussions with LCCI, Croydon police have undertaken to visit small shop owners once a month – something that some believe is a key part of traditional community policing.

The business crime Mitch Carr and his team are dealing with focusses on the retail sector – tackling cybercrime is led nationally by the City of London police – and has a clear impact on the borough’s ability to attract investment. The borough has advantages, a ‘city within a city’ with an enviable location and transport hub, but the loss of the planned Westfield Centre due to Covid has left many of the retail spaces empty creating a quasi-ghost town effect. 

Help from business

How can the business community help the police in their endeavours? Firstly, ensure that crimes are reported – only an estimated one in ten are, and the real figures need to be understood. Ensure CCTV is in good working order – without that back-up evidence, many crime investigations fall at the first hurdle. And provide support to staff who may be key witnesses in court cases. In some instances employers stop daily wages for such appearances, often instigated by the security contracts companies have in place and not necessarily by the businesses themselves. 

Awareness

Obstacles like these fail to recognise the bigger picture and the benefits that accrue for the business sector and the community as a whole – including the night-time economy – if petty crime is reduced. Increased awareness of these challenges by business is crucial and Maslen and Carr were supportive of using chambers of commerce as well as BIDs in the capital for getting their message across through briefing events, publications and websites. 

Challenging

Lisa Maslen, Mitch Carr and their colleagues know that their role is consistently challenging but with their dedication and business support it is one that can lead to a better, safer, less crime-ridden London. Some encouragement will have been taken by the mention in the King’s Speech that legislation would be brought forward “to strengthen community policing and give the police greater powers to deal with anti-social behaviour.” New laws are promised to deliver on the government’s mission “to take back our streets by halving serious violence and increase confidence in policing and the Criminal Justice System.”

www.met.police.uk