Croydon police have today launched Operation Cleveland, with an increased presence of officers on the streets around West Croydon “carrying out high visibility foot patrols to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour”.
Murdered: Lavz, who died in Selhurst on Friday night
The move comes after the outbreak of knife attacks in and around Croydon over the weekend, including the death of a young man in Selhurst on Friday night which is now the subject of a murder investigation.
The dead man was identified on social media on Saturday as Lavz, with a photograph of the victim released this morning.
Today, Borough Commander Superintendent Andy Brittain said that Operation Cleveland had been planned ahead of the weekend’s violence.
“Croydon remains a safe borough,” Supt Brittain said in a message to the public.
Croydon’s top cop also pleaded with the public to continue to observe the social distancing rules during the coronavirus lockdown.
‘Croydon remains a safe borough’: Supt Andy Brittain
“My officers are still being called to breaches of covid regulations,” Brittain wrote.
“Please continue to support the NHS and comply with the requirements of this lockdown. House parties and unlicensed music events remain a concern, so please do everything you can to prevent these from taking place and discourage family and friends from attending these events.”
Addressing the spate of knife attacks over the past 72 hours, Supt Brittain maintained that the police were treating the incidents as unconnected.
He wrote, “After a long period of reductions in knife crime, we sadly had eight victims of knife crime over the weekend. One young person tragically lost his life and our thoughts remain with his family.
“We believe these to be isolated incidents but the investigations into the events continue, and arrests have been made.
“Today we launch Operation Cleveland which, whilst planned prior to the events of the weekend, will focus on the West Croydon area. Over the next two weeks, you will see an increased police presence in the area. Officers will be carrying out high visibility foot patrols to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour. Where required, these officers will use Stop and Search powers in order to take knives and drugs off the street.
“If you see the officers, please take a minute to stop and say hello. We always appreciate hearing your support, ideas and encouragement.”
On patrol: with a murder investigation underway in Selhurst, Operation Cleveland will see more police on the streets of West Croydon
Brittain has been in his current post for a year. “I remain extremely proud to be part of this community. Croydon remains a safe borough, and we have some really strong partnerships and community friendships.
“We continue to be committed to tackling violence on the streets of Croydon, and together we can make a difference.”
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““Croydon remains a safe borough,” Supt Brittain said in a message to the public.” This s palpably untrue. Why would any sensible person want to go to the West Croydon area with this ongoing situation?
Dear Supt Brittain
In the context of Croydon being a safe borough, is this in relation to the other Boroughs or some other planet? I see acts of violence or anti-social behavior on the London road and side streets every day and many times in one day –
I felt safer on the Falls road in marching season, I felt safer in 1981 and 1985 in Brixton, and frankly Rijeka Brnik Maribor and Novo Mesto was a breeze even if SA7s were lighting up the sky – mind you Pristina was a but prickly. but nothing compared to Latimer road or Westbourne Park at the end of August.
“My officers are still being called to breaches of covid regulations,” you wrote.
Yes – well it would be nice if they actually came when called, It would be even nicer that when they fail to come and are sent evidence of all that has gone on, they actually do something about it, would you not agree? But I understand it is difficult to waste time as the CPS would probably not take the matter further – so why bother investigating it and you really need to be getting on with preventing more serious crimes of stabbing drugs postcode gangs county lines etc. But not the 3 crack houses or the HMO Brothels at Broad Green, no that takes too much resources. But hey you . are new so maybe things will change.
.
Onto “We continue to be committed to tackling violence on the streets of Croydon, and together we can make a difference.”
Hmmm nope. Commitment means prevention and stable police resources to tackle this on an ongoing basis. Not chasing tails after the fact. When you are provided CCTV photos intelligence licence plates, and fail to do anything for years, respectfully that is not making any difference at all is it? More importantly it is most definitely not togetherness is it when people have to deal with the effects of assisting you afterwards? Nope, nothing we can do until you are a victim and then we will investigate after the act. Great togetherness that.
“If you see the officers, please take a minute to stop and say hello. We always appreciate hearing your support, ideas and encouragement.”
Yep and we appreciate seeing those officers and the hard work they do and the rubbish they have to endure in doing their best, and in the recent case the loss of a good local officers life which should never have happened.
But realistically there is little they alone can do without a good structure, support systems and resources and again the ability to prevent crime arising – I would rather spend my time campaigning on their behalf for better resources and treatment.
You have been in your current post for a year. “I remain extremely proud to be part of this community. I have been here for decades and am still proud of our town despite how it has been trashed and let rot by successive Council regimes Mayors and Police authorities.
”Croydon remains a safe borough, and we have some really strong partnerships and community friendships.”
You have political and bureaucratic partnerships where you talk politely using the buzzwords of the day and tokenism arrests ” in the public interest”.
It is your officers through their hard work that may have strong partnerships and friendships. We do understand the rubbish they have to deal with daily (as we also have to suffer this,_ and with little tangible senior level support.
So please explain to me the difference all those words will make in practice?
Will any Police stations be re-opened, Will phone lines be manned at the Council so ”civil crime” issues are enforced? How many permanent officers are the wards being increased by? When will response times be shortened? When will the Met begin engaging in preventative Policing?
So as you are well aware and every study has shown that the anti-social crimes( that blight peoples lives on an hourly basis in West Croydon) lead to more serious ”non civil” crimes and the weaponising of arguments how exactly are you going to deal with the root causes?
In the meantime thank you very kindly for the nice words and platitudes.
Yours Etc.