More police announced for Woolwich – but havn’t we been here before?
If you read news today that Woolwich is set to see more police officers in the town centre you may have felt a creeping sense of deja vu – and you’d be right to.
Upon hearing about it my mind crept back to a very similar announcement made not too long ago back in 2021.
The Met announced today that 20 town centres across London would see additional officers patrolling this summer. The previous announcement in 2021 was 17 town centres.
How long and whether it makes a great difference long term remains to be seen with the Met set to enact wide ranging cuts including 1,700 officers, PCSOs and other staff.
The Royal Parks police unit will be cut as would forensics, mounted and police dog units.
It follows years of cuts with dozens of police stations closed and sold including in Woolwich. Nearby Greenwich and Thamesmead also closed, as did Westcombe Park.
Both Tory and Labour Mayors closed police stations under the last Tory government – with cuts expected to continue under this government.
Privatised enforcement
Woolwich also now has it’s privatised enforcement officers yet many don’t appear to do much except go for easy targets with the private contractor retaining most fine revenue collected.
Though whether most are even paid is debateable. A recent report in neighbouring Bexley shows most fines issued there are never paid.
Labour politicians have today have been making a big noise about the new town centre police including Greenwich Council’s leader Anthony Okereke, Woolwich & Greenwich MP Matt Pennycook and the Mayor but a short term boost doesn’t remove long term problems of reduced funding.
Particularly when that newly announced measure simply rehashes the same made not too long ago and which hardly had a transformative impact in the eyes of the public.
With all levels of government now under the same party in places like Woolwich be it council, Mayor and then national government, it’s ever harder to blame others for continuing cuts. A short term boost (the project ends in September) isn’t much of a sweetener if cuts follow.
I suspect a rollout of facial recognition systems, not unlike the ones in Croydon. The last time I saw police in any great quantity along Powis Street was a year or two back, trialling something similar outside the DLR station. If they want to get rid of anti-social behaviour they can start with the Council, then that furnishings place on Powis Street that beams its rotating, 15ft ad onto the street throughout the night.
Woolwich needs a long term fix so sort our all the issues with anti social behaviour and Crime. Thec extra police officers in the area need to be in the area for the long time and need to present through out the day and evenings..Face recognition may be introduced similar to the face recognition system they use in Croydon Town Centre.
The wardens in Woolwich do very little. They do not move on the street drinkers and beggers and they certainly do nothing about people dropping litter.
This can not be just another quick fix by the Government and Mayor of London just to tick another box.