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Meeting the Metropolitan Police Service (Met) Team in Croydon where there have been significant issues, Green candidate for London Mayor Zoë Garbett signalled changes she would see to police practices in the capital.
Speaking after meeting and walking around with officers, Zoë Garbett said:
“The tough-on-crime consensus fixes nothing. The annual number of stop and searches in London has doubled under the current Mayor and that’s done nothing to bring down crime. Whilst Tory and Labour politicians play whack-a-mole with a sledgehammer, Londoners can plainly see that it’s just not working.
“Meanwhile, the level of trust the public have in The Met couldn’t be any lower. I’ve asked to visit The Met in Croydon because it is one of the clearest examples of how the current policing approach has failed communities.
“A Green Mayor will champion a community-led approach to policing, and oversee a process where the police earn and build trust and confidence, especially from Black and global majority communities and women.
“We will bring people together to address inequality and insecurity, strengthen our communities and tackle the conditions that create crime in the first place, like poverty, youth services and drugs support.
“That way, we would deal with crime effectively, whilst supporting people and strengthening communities in the process.”
The Met offers all candidates polling over 5% a visit with officers. Zoë chose to visit Croydon because it has had real issues, and was keen to get a first hand insight into what has gone wrong, and how it might be addressed.
Zoë, her team and Met officers discussed a range of issues. Questions were raised regarding the death in custody in Croydon last year. They shared concerns regarding widespread perceptions of a lack of safety, and exchanged expertise regarding operations with teams supporting people experiencing homelessness, streetlink, and alcohol and other drugs services.
Zoë Garbett is running for London Mayor alongside a slate of Green candidates for the London Assembly.