Sadiq Khan with local police officers
(Picture: Mayor of London)Sadiq Khan said he was “leading from the front” and vowed to crack down on crime as he joined Metropolitan Police officers on patrol in south east London.
The London mayor and Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe joined local neighbourhood police officers on patrol in Peckham town centre, Southwark on Thursday.
He claimed violent crime in London has reduced since he was first elected mayor in 2016 but warned that the cost of living crisis could cause an upswing in offences.
The renewed focus around patrols follows the pledge from the Mayor and new Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley to get the basics of policing right.
He said: “Tackling violence is my top priority and I’m determined to continue leading from the front in London by being tough on crime and tough on its complex causes.
“Record investment from City Hall in the Met and London’s Violence Reduction Unit has meant violence in the capital has reduced since 2016, with knife crime, gun crime, burglary and teenage homicides all falling – bucking the national trend. But more must be done.
“It’s clear the level of violence in London remains far too high and I remain very concerned that the cost of living crisis could jeopardise the progress we’ve made.
“That’s why I am continuing to take action by supporting our hardworking police officers to keep our city safe and investing record amounts in initiatives through London’s Violence Reduction Unit to support young Londoners at critical stages in their lives.”
Ms Rolfe added: “We are proactively and forensically targeting the drivers of violent crime, and this week, specialist teams have been tackling high-harm offenders involved in supplying drugs across London, including in Southwark.”
