Caroline Russell has responded to the Mayor’s draft Police and Crime Plan 2021-25, arguing that the plan does not go far enough to reduce murders in London.
The Mayor has put forward his draft plan for tackling crime and making London safer however he has not included a goal for reducing murders to zero, which Caroline has campaigned for on the London Assembly as the only acceptable target for murders. [1]
Caroline Russell AM says:
There is a glaring omission in this Police and Crime Plan: a goal for zero murders. From 2005-2020, 2,140 lives were violently cut short in London. That’s 2,140 families living without a loved one, and 2,140 more homicides than there should have been.
"I believe these deaths should be neither inevitable, nor acceptable, and could have been prevented.
“Setting a bold target will inspire bold action. If the Mayor and the police have a goal to reduce murders to zero, they will look at all aspects of their work with this focus.
“Every action, every policy, and every decision would have to contribute to the overall vision of zero murders.
“There is simply no other acceptable target.
Caroline’s report ‘Zero murders: a vision to end homicide in London’, explores who are the victims of homicide, and the work being done to understand these murders both London-wide, and at borough level [2].
When the target of zero murders was raised with Met Police Commissioner, Cressida Dick, she was lost for words and did not agree that zero is the only acceptable target number for homicides in London. [3]
The Mayor already has a similar goal: Vision Zero is an ambition to eliminate all death and serious injuries from London’s streets by 2041. [4]
Caroline is calling for Londoners to respond to the Plan before the consultation closes on 21 January, so their voices are heard by the Mayor and the Metropolitan Police Service. [5]
Caroline Russell’s key recommendations in response to the Mayor’s draft Police and Crime Plan:
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Include a goal of zero murders within 10 years
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Protect the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) budget and extend a public health approach supported by violence reduction strategies throughout policing
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Launch the London Drugs Commission as soon as possible
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Reflect the importance of policing traffic crime to reduce danger on London’s roads
Notes to editors
Editors’ notes:
Caroline is available for interview.
[1] Draft Police and Crime Plan 2021-25 https://www.london.gov.uk/publications/police-and-crime-plan-2021-25#5-reducing-and-preventing-violence
[2] Caroline’s report ‘Zero Murders: A vision to end homicide in London’ https://www.london.gov.uk/about-us/london-assembly/assembly-members/publications-caroline-russell/publication-caroline-russell-vision-end-homicide-london
[3] Met Commissioner will not commit to zero murders target https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/assembly/caroline-russell/met-commissioner-will-not-commit-to-zero-murders
[4] Vision Zero action plan https://content.tfl.gov.uk/vision-zero-action-plan.pdf
[5] The consultation is available here https://www.london.gov.uk/policecrimeplan, or you can also respond via email to [email protected] or by writing to: MOPAC, 169 Union Street, London, SE1 0LL.