These concerns have also been shared with London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Lambeth and Southwark Police Commander Simon Messinger.
The joint operation was undertaken by out of borough Met and British Transport Police officers at Brixton Underground without liaising with local police, the council or the advisory group. The operation resulted in serious complaints about police treatment of Black African/Caribbean people.
Cllrs Hopkins and Seedat have expressed grave concern that action of this kind presents a very real risk of eroding community confidence in the police and making it even harder to achieve council and community priorities around both keeping people safe, and making people feel safe.
They have asked that the Metropolitan Police adhere to a series of guidelines to ensure the kind of incidents we saw in Brixton last night are not repeated, while emphasising that Lambeth Council strongly supports the police and the Mayor’s programs to reduce violence and crime in London.
In a letter sent to members of the community, Cllr Hopkins and Cllr Seedat expressed their concerns and emphasised the importance of community-led policing:
Dear colleagues,
We have written to the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Cressida Dick on behalf of Lambeth residents expressing severe concerns about a British Transport Police and Violent Crime Task Force operation in Brixton underground station yesterday afternoon (24/07/2019). These concerns have also been shared with London Mayor Sadiq Khan and the Lambeth & Southwark Police Commander Simon Messinger.
The joint operation was undertaken by out of borough Met and British Transport Police officers at Brixton Underground without liaising with local police, the council or the advisory group. The operation resulted in serious complaints about police treatment of Black African/Caribbean people.
We feel that action of this kind presents a very real risk of eroding community confidence in the police and making it even harder to achieve our key priorities around both keeping people safe, and making people feel safe.
In response we have asked the Met to adhere to a series of guidelines to ensure the kind of incidents we saw in Brixton last night are not repeated. They are:
- Any operations of this nature are planned out in advance with local police, the council and the Independent Advisory Group
- That any officers brought into the borough are given a briefing on the context and history of Lambeth
- That all operations have body worn cameras that are active at all times
- That any operation has an independent member of the public to accompany it. This could include a member of the IAG, as the recent Section 60 operations by local police did successfully
- That any operation of this nature is reviewed afterwards with local police, community and council as to its effectiveness and appropriateness
- That any such operations are intelligence led, rather than being conducted in the most visible place regardless of intelligence
Lambeth Council strongly supports the Met Police and the Mayor’s programs to reduce violence and crime in London. But we have highlighted the fact that we need to have the support of our communities behind us, and operations like this one jeopardise the progress that has been made in that regard.
We would seek your support in our attempts to impress the importance of coordinated, community engaged and appropriately reviewed policing in our borough. Please email us to share your views.
Yours faithfully,
Cllr Jack Hopkins
Lambeth Council Leader
Cllr Mohammed Seedat
Cabinet Member for Jobs, Skills and Community Safety
