Speaking on a visit with frontline officers in Wimbledon today (Friday), Liberal Democrat London Mayoral candidate Rob Blackie spoke passionately about making the capital’s streets safer.
Sadiq Khan’s failure on crime and policing was the “number one reason” why he was standing for mayor, Blackie said.
He pledged that, if elected, his top priority will be make the Met Police the number one budgeting priority and divert the majority of any surplus funds to the force. Fund this by ditching election gimmicks like Khan’s fare freeze.
Blackie will bring an end to Khan’s cronyism and appoint a real expert to the role of Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime.
He has pledged to strengthen local policing teams and get hundreds more officers back on frontline duty by tackling the huge numbers stuck in back-office roles.
If he is elected Accelerate the adoption of new technologies to improve police efficiency – e.g.: better remote access to digital forensics
Blackie has said he will recruit 500 additional Special Constables through the Employer Supported Policing Programme and ensure police focus on serious crime instead of spending a disproportionate amount of time on low-level drug offences.
Rob Blackie said, “It’s the first responsibility of the Mayor to protect Londoners. Under Sadiq Khan the Metropolitan Police Service has deteriorated into an unacceptable state.
“After eight years with Sadiq Khan in charge, the police are catching rapists half as often as they did and trust in the Met is at an all-time low. I want Londoners to be safe walking on our streets.
“As Liberal Democrat Mayor my top priority will be to fix the Met.
“I will focus the police on clearing up the crimes that matter most. I will do this by getting hundreds more officers back on frontline duty and ensuring the police focus on tackling serious crime – rather than wasting their time carrying out stop and searches on young people for cannabis and laughing gas.
“The Met Police will continue to be my number one budget priority with the majority of any surplus funds in any financial year being redirected to the force. No more election gimmicks.
“We will also bring an end to Khan’s cronyism and appoint an expert to the role of Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime. These vital roles can’t keep being dished out to party loyalists.
“The money and capability is there to fix the Met. All that is needed is the political will to drive through the changes that Londoners are desperately calling for.”
