Weekly Message From Merton's Police Borough Commander

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Darren Williams pens his weekly report...

"Dear friends,

A happy New Year to you all. 

I said in my message last week that 2014 would bring new and unique policing challenges and so it would seem with just a week in. 

New Year's Eve brings its own mix of policing challenges and so it was again this year. Things were fairly quite up until midnight and then we had to deal with several incidents of drunkenness, fights and domestic violence. I am very proud of my officers and they way they responded. Those arrested cannot say we did not give them fair warning, we made it quite clear that any form of violence would result in an arrest and indeed it was. 

We also had a worrying few days last week whilst we searched for a missing vulnerable 12-year-old girl. Thanks again to everybody involved in that and in particular thank you to everyone who helped get our messages out on social media networks. Thankfully the young girl was found and returned to her family and we must now try and get the bottom of why she went missing. 

Some of you will recall that in 2013 the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) Stephen Greenhalgh and Assistant Commissioner Simon Byrne visited all 32 London boroughs to consult the public about the LPM and Neighbourhood Policing. Our event was held in at the Civic Centre and I am led to believe that it was one of the most attended across London. At the time, I felt very proud of this as I believe it shows the commitment and support the public in Merton have for the Police. 

I am therefore very pleased to tell you that we have been chosen for the first of the 2014 MOPAC visits. Taking the feedback from last years program the visits will be longer this time to allow more of you to ask questions of the Deputy Mayor, AC Byrne or myself. 

Our event will again be held at the Civic Centre and is on Tuesday January 14 between 6.30pm-8.30pm. 

Obviously I would like as many of you as possible to come along and talk to us about policing in Merton. We have so many good things to celebrate but it is also a chance for you to tell us where we have not yet got things right. 

If any of you want anymore information about the event please contact my office. Whilst it is actually being run and co-ordinated by MOPAC we might be able to answer your questions about getting to or attending the event. 

That is about it for this week - I will write to you again next Friday.  

Once again, I wish you and your families a very happy New Year."
 
Darren Williams

January 4, 2014