Opinion

LOCAL BOBBIES NEED A PERMANENT STATION

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25 May 2012

I believe it is time for the police to come in from the cold. They have had bad publicity through poor leadership and rogue officers, who are not representative of the force as a whole.

The Police are clearly unhappy with certain government decisions, which culminated in 35 thousand police employees demonstrating recently.

Local communities must be united in their support for the local Safer Neighbourhood Police Teams. In East Dulwich, over many decades, we have enjoyed a special relationship with our local ‘bobbies’.

In the 1970s local children were encouraged to visit the stables in Whately/Landcroft Roads to meet the Police horses and understand the work of the mounted police division. Forty years on, this relationship is still going strong.

Local police initiatives include bicycle building and renovation workshops based in the old stables. Thus providing valuable work experience for young people who could be drawn into crime. East Dulwich Crime figures recently published show a decrease in youth crime.

I submit that the closure of the East Dulwich Police Station will have a devastating effect on the morale and self esteem of our local Police team, who must surely have a need for a permanent base from which to operate. There are two alternatives – one is to refurbish the old Police Station on the corner of Crystal Palace/Upland Roads – which would be adequate for the current reduced police numbers.

Or redevelopment by a private contractor of the Whately Road site with a leased ground floor police station, with flats above. Even with a lease this would represent sufficient savings for the Police budget. Either of these options would ensure permanent police presence in East Dulwich.

I urge your readers to make their own representations to Mayor Boris Johnson.

Stan Hardy, Court Lane, East Dulwich.
(Stan worked with Met. Police Chiefs in N. Africa, Sicily, and Italy during WW11 and afterwards)

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