Merton Lib Dems Call for Town Centre Police Teams
Despite growing concerns around crime and anti-social behaviour, particularly in busy areas, local policing teams have been quietly eroded. Wimbledon no longer has a dedicated town centre police team, and local neighbourhood officers are now stretched thin across larger areas with fewer resources.
The campaign comes amid a national crisis in policing, with the Metropolitan Police alone facing a £130 million funding shortfall. The Met’s Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, has warned the Prime Minister that current funding levels risk “far-reaching consequences” for policing and public safety.
As well as restoring dedicated town centre police teams across the borough, Merton Liberal Democrats are calling for town centre night time safety street stalls.
These measures aim to re-establish a visible police presence on local high streets, reduce anti-social behaviour and retail crime, and ensure residents feel safe to shop, work and socialise in their communities, both day and night.
Their petition is now live, and residents are urged to show their support by signing and sharing it.
Commenting, Liberal Democrat MP for Wimbledon Paul Kohler MP, said:
“After a recent stabbing near a Co-op in Wimbledon, I received a letter from Jack, a pupil at Holy Trinity Primary, expressing his concerns about a lack of police visibility. If a child is asking who will protect them on their local high street, and we cannot give a clear answer, then the system is broken, and we must fix it.”
Commenting, Councillor Anthony Fairclough, Leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Merton Council, said:
“Labour-run Merton Council has failed to act while crime has risen and police visibility has disappeared. Residents deserve to feel safe, and we will keep fighting until they do.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
https://www.mertonlibdems.org.uk/our-campaigns/dedicated-town-centre-police-teams
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Police chiefs and government watchdogs write to PM to warn over funding cuts - LBC