It’s an improvement that the Met Police website now has an overview of highlights on their front page, making it easy to link to them.

1. Met Engage
   • At best can be called community appeasement, at worst a gimmick and even worst dangerous use of data. I’ve already published why I don’t support the new system.
     • What they do!
       • sign up your email to your ward in the borough
       • inform you of TH Police engagement events
       • ask your opinion on local policing
     • Easier ways of getting informed!
       • go to our Safer Neighbourhoods page,
       • or to the Met Police Tower Hamlets page,
       • click on your ward
       • select your local team services
     • Unreliable data collection
       • Met Engage does not in any way scrutinise your submitted details, neither your ID or address
2. The Stop and Search charter
   • I support Stop and Search as it safes lives.
   • There were 535,307 stop and searches in England and Wales, a decrease of 11,693 compared with the year ending March 2023
   • Of the 535,307 searches, 75,953 led to an arrest.
   • source House of Commons library
3. Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG)
   • Domestic Abuse offences early day motions House of Commons
     • That this House acknowledges the pervasive and deeply harmful impact of domestic abuse on survivors; notes that, while the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 defines domestic abuse, there is no specific criminal offence for domestic abuse in England and Wales; further notes that many domestic abuse cases are prosecuted under broader offences such as common assault, ABH and GBH instead; recognises that as a result, not all domestic abuse cases are properly identified within the criminal justice system; also notes with alarm that this legal gap has meant that some domestic abusers are eligible for release under the SDS40 Early Release Scheme, despite the Government’s attempts to exempt them; and calls on the Government to back the Domestic Abuse (Aggravated Offences) Bill, which would ensure that domestic abuse cases are properly recognised as such in the criminal justice system by creating domestic abuse-aggravated offences, mirroring racially and religiously aggravated offences created in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, enabling more survivors and victims to get the protections they need and deserve.
4. The New Met for London
   • This strategy is aimed to clean up their own ranks and dismiss and prosecute officers who fall foul of the law themselves.
5. MPS Drug Action Plan 2024 – 2026
   • This is important for Tower Hamlets as our problem with drug dealing and addiction is severe.
   • A new crime task force is being developed but not ready yet. source Tower Hamlets Council
     • An increase in uniformed patrols by THEOs – 73 per cent higher in December 2024 than the same period in 2023. Unfortunately THEO’s have no arrest powers and are restricted.
     • Tower Hamlets has a substance misuse strategy 2020-2025.
     • We have a combating drugs partnership
     • Tower Hamlets Community Safety Partnership Plan is from 2021-2024 and no newer version is available.
6. Police Officer recruitment
   • I am grateful for every person who enters Met Police employ.
   • Police Volunteers
     • As a Met Volunteer myself, I can confirm the positive impact this role has on me and would encourage Tower Hamlets Police to drive Community Based Volunteering and engagement. The Tower Hamlets Police engagement events are one hour at most (exception ward panels) and Police do not allow those attending to participate in Weapons sweeps, leafletting or crime prevention activities.