Policing in Lewisham & Greenwich

[Tim Lund]

On other threads I've commented on the fact that Lewisham is one of the two London boroughs where fewest people thing the "local police are doing a good job"

KPI 6 – Local Police Doing a Good Job

13. The percentage of people sampled who think the police in their area are doing a good job is 66% (Q1/11). This is a 4% drop from the rolling 12 months ending Q4/10 but remains static compared to Q1/10. At borough level ‘confidence’ ranges from 49% (Lewisham and Greenwich) to 82% (Sutton).

Source here

and connected it to high profile cases of police failure as in the Daniel Morgan murder.

Yesterday's convictions in the Stephen Lawrence murder case - which happened in LB Greenwich - add weight to this view, but it may just be supposition. However, following that post of mine on the News of the World & Sydenham thread, I put in an FOIA request for as much KPI data for Lewisham and other boroughs as could be immediately provided, in order to test the supposition. I should be getting the information by the end of the week - and will make it available here.

[bensonby]

A more interesting statistic is comparing those who think the police "are doing a good job" etc. and have actually had recent dealings with the police, and those who have not.

I read somewhere (about a year ago, and I can't remember where) that those, in Lewisham, who had dealings with the police (as victims etc.) were more likely to think that the police "are doing a good job" than those who had no dealings whatsoever.

Funny eh?

[Tim Lund]

A more interesting statistic is comparing those who think the police "are doing a good job" etc. and have actually had recent dealings with the police, and those who have not.

I read somewhere (about a year ago, and I can't remember where) that those, in Lewisham, who had dealings with the police (as victims etc.) were more likely to think that the police "are doing a good job" than those who had no dealings whatsoever.

Funny eh?

This doesn't surprise me at all. Most people - me included - tend to and want to respect established authority figures, such as the police. It's no bad thing in general, since it makes for a more easily policed, safer society. So when ordinary members of the public - as opposed to actual or potential wrong-doers - meet police officers on duty, it will normally reinforce our positive attitudes. And having been quite often at community meetings involving the police, I'd reckon that anyone standing up to criticise them in any way would be quite brave - the rest of the community - at least those who go to those sorts of meeting - would not welcome it. The obvious danger of this is that the police are likely to become complacent.

[michael]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/cr ... 37762.html

An interesting article about the links between corrupt police officers and the failure to prosecute the murders of Stephen Lawrence.
Corrupt officers, an organised cover-up, institutional racism, and the failure of the IPCC to investigate these allegations.

[Eagle]

Of course the Police , like society, has rotten apples.

I have always found them excellent , especially the neighbourhood team who attended to my parents being ripped of by rogue builders.

The ever growing new laws to restrict the Police must make their job very difficult.


Please give the majority of police our support rather than attack a few rotten apples.

[CaptainCarCrash]

Of course the Police , like society, has rotten apples.

I have always found them excellent , especially the neighbourhood team who attended to my parents being ripped of by rogue builders.

The ever growing new laws to restrict the Police must make their job very difficult.


Please give the majority of police our support rather than attack a few rotten apples.

I agree with your sentiment Eagle however we must question the situations such as those that have come to light in recent times because we have to remember no one is above the law.

[Eagle]

Agreed Mike, but let us remember the vast majority are trying to do a good job.

[michael]

Of course builder, like society, has rotten apples.

I have always found them excellent.

The ever growing new laws to restrict the builders must make their job very difficult, especially the neighbourhood police team who attended to my parents being ripped of by rogue builders.

Please give the majority of builders our support rather than attack a few rotten apples.

It just wouldn't make any sense to write that, so I don't see why it would be any more accurate about those we rely on to uphold the law.

I support the police and the IPCC, but that support must never blind us to the terrible behaviour of a small number of officers. The point about rotten apples is they spoil the whole barrel, this involved removing them rather than allowing the whole barrel to become institutionally rotten and attempting to cover up their rot.

Our assumption should be that the police are doing a good job and acting fairly, but it precisely because of this assumption that we are rightly outraged when some officers (including senior commanders) do not live up to the standards we expect.

[Eagle]

Michael

You have a point. I was simply trying to get the police seen in a more positive light than they seem to be on this Forum.