The recently appointed Borough Commander of Greenwich Police, Richard Wood, has made clear his support for single patrolling by his officers.
Mr Wood expressed his support for the measure whilst walking the beat himself and talking to local people recently in Greenwich, Woolwich and Eltham town centres.
Commander Wood said:
“I will ask my officers to patrol singly where they can. We need to maximise the amount of uniforms on the streets even though there might be times when it is necessary to patrol in pairs because of safety. I am keen to ensure that we increase our presence on the streets of Greenwich.”
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson said back in March that single patrolling should be the “default” position although at the time, the Police Federation’s London branch chairman, Peter Smyth, told the Times that it was a “nice soundbite” but it could “leave officers open to malicious complaints”.
He added:
“Would they (single-patrolling officers) be effective if they can’t intervene in things because they have not got corroboration? If they have to wait for 10 minutes for their colleague to arrive whenever a problem arises, the whole exercise would be pretty pointless.”
Mr Wood also expressed his commitment to meeting the Met’s Policing Pledge. He said he intended to “ensure that every single point of the Pledge is met by my officers”.
What do you think? How do you think Greenwich Police are doing? Do you welcome Borough Commander Wood’s support for single patrolling?
Greenwich Borough Commander Wood talking to local people in Greenwich.
I first came to Greenwich some 50 years ago, and until six months ago had had no problems with crime.In the last few months I have been assaulted attacked and very nearly murdered.This morning I went to the market at 9.30 am and saw a uniformed policeman standing on the traffic island.in the now not so one way system ! I cannot say how comforting a sight it was.I know that many police oficers are not happy with this,but hopefully during daylight hours the single police officers will be safe.It is after dark and more often when some bars close and let their customers loose on central Greenwich that police and anyone else should be in pairs.I can only speak for myself,but I think I speak for the “silent majority”I am sick to death of hearing about the rights and hard times of those who do appear before the courts for minor or anti social behaviour offences. I and, so do you if live here have the right to be able wander out of our front doors and not feel that some little **** can hurt or abuse us.
Talking of Police .I do wish the “Greenwich taste Police” would have a word with the freeholders of the parade of shops in Greenwich Church Street ( From the betting shop to the bar Desperados, which so lives up to its name) It is a very pretty row of buidings, which at present is nothing more than a disgrace. In the centre of a world heritage site, Please pull the other one.As we have the 2012 Olympics coming,It is time these shops were cleaned up, and not used merely as a vehicle to make a fast buck by some of the shopkeepers, not all.