One of the signs going up near local hospitals
The Metropolitan Police is sending officers on foot patrols around hospitals and hospital car parks in Croydon, Sutton and Bromley.
As well as officers in uniform, the police will be using plain-clothed officers in this operation.
The move was announced this afternoon by the Borough Commander, Superintendent Andy Brittain, saying that the deploying of officers is “to protect NHS staff and visitors from crime”.
It is understood that Croydon’s Mayday and Sutton’s St Helier hospitals will have regular police patrols during the coronavirus emergency, when so many NHS staff are working extra-long shifts to deal with the effects of the pandemic.
In what was described by a colleague as “a key message”, Superintendent Brittain (pictured left) said, “New signs have arrived to remind people that we are actively patrolling the hospitals and car parks to protect NHS staff and visitors from crime.
“These patrols are taking place now across Sutton, Croydon and Bromley.”
Croydon’s top cop then added a hashtag #BlueLightFamily.
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Why Plain Clothed? if no one knows they’re there how can it be reassuring or show “Active Patrols”? Or is is like some sort of drug-bust operation – in the middle of a pandemic. The press release doesn’t explain
Plainclothes police will stick out like the proverbial sore thumb during lockdown
As the great czech president and comedian Havlac Pavel sajd “Why do secret policeman have to go around in groups of three? One can read, one can write and the third has to keep an eye on the other two intellectuals.”