You may have heard about Haringey Council'sdecision to cut our Parks Police service, making ten police constables and three police dogs redundant.
Crime and fear of crime in parks is a very real issue. With the warmer weather,
many of us are spending more time outdoors - and we want to feel safe as we do
it. Haringey Council will soon be taking away this service.
A year ago Lynne Featherstone pointed out that the Parks Police and the Met Police cannot talk to each other over their radios - as they are not compatible. If we are to make our parks safe then we need our Parks Police teams working closely with local Police, without a Parks Police service a vital piece of this jigsaw is missing.
If you would like to help campaign for more Parks Police there are two very simple things you can do from the comfort of your computer
1. Sign the petition to save our Parks Police at http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/parkspolice
2. Forward this to any of the people in your address book who live locally
suggesting they do the same.
I'd like to thank all of you who supported the Lib Dem campaign to stop Haringey Council from disbanding the Parks Constabulary, which patrols parks and open spaces and works closely with the Metropolitan Police. There has been a tremendous response to my petition and so far the overwhelming majority of residents want to keep the Parks Police and integrate their work even more with that of the Met along the lines of our 3-point plan.
Following pressure from our Lib Dem Councillors and our hard-working MP Lynne Featherstone, Haringey Council has extended the period of consultation until 26 September,so please please if you have friends or neighbours who have not made their views known, then please urge them to sign my online Petition to keep these 10 dedicated officers and 3 fully trained police dogs who work 24 hours a day - here's my petition again: http://ourcampaign.org.uk/ParksPolice
Sadly, I have also had a significant number of residents recounting their experience of crime or anti-social behaviour in parks and open spaces, and indeed in the last few weeks the Parks Constabulary and their dogs have assisted the Met in searching for guns and knives at several locations around the Borough. Please be assured that I will be doing all that I can to cut crime not only in parks and open spaces but right across our communities.
Rgds,
Ron.
Councillor Ron Aitken.
Crime Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrat group on Haringey council