Julia Lopez MP has welcomed changes to public order policing which should reduce the unnecessary diversion of neighbourhood officers from Havering to protests and events elsewhere in London.
The Metropolitan Police introduced its revised operating model on 1 September following a review of growing public order demand, workforce pressures and the use of limited policing resources.
Under the new approach, protests and events will no longer automatically receive a police presence based on historic practice. Deployment decisions will instead be guided by assessments of threat, harm and risk, alongside intelligence and the potential impact on communities.
Where a clear policing requirement exists, officers will continue to be deployed to prevent crime and disorder, protect public safety and respond to emergencies.
However, event organisers, local authorities and other partners will be expected to take greater responsibility for matters such as stewarding, crowd management, safety planning, traffic management and road closures.
The Met has also strengthened its mobilisation arrangements so that additional officers can be deployed quickly if the level of risk increases unexpectedly.
Mrs Lopez has consistently raised concerns about officers being diverted from Havering to support the policing of repeated protests and events in central London. She has argued that local resources should remain focused on tackling crime, antisocial behaviour and residents’ priorities wherever there is no clear operational need for officers elsewhere.
Julia said:
“Havering residents consistently tell me that they want to see more police officers visible in their communities, tackling crime, antisocial behaviour and the issues that matter locally.
“For too long, officers have been repeatedly diverted away from Havering to support protests and events in central London, even when their presence may not have been strictly necessary.
“I therefore welcome the Met’s decision to base future deployments more closely on threat, harm and risk, rather than automatically providing the same level of police support because that has been the historic practice.
“Protests and major events must still be policed properly where public safety requires it. However, organisers should take responsibility for matters such as stewarding, traffic management and crowd control rather than relying unnecessarily on police officers.
“This is a sensible change which should help keep more officers in Havering, focused on the priorities of local residents. I will be monitoring its impact closely to ensure that it delivers a meaningful improvement in neighbourhood policing.”
