Soar in gun and knife crime in London

Latest figures from the Metropolitan Police have revealed a rise of 42 per cent in gun crime and 24 per cent in knife crime in London, leading to criticism of the Metropolitan Police’s performance. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) highlighted ‘some areas of serious concern’, highlighting child protection and ethical practice as areas of substandard performance by the force. It was also reported that the Metropolitan Police ‘requires improvement in ensuring its workforce behaves ethically and lawfully’. HMIC published its assessment of every force in England and Wales, with West Midlands, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire police, the three biggest forces aside from London, rated as good in every category. Matt Parr, HMIC’s inspector for London, said that London’s ‘size and complexity of the organisation’ cause ‘particular challenges’ for the Capital. He was also quick to praise the Metropolitan Police for its mobilisation when a lone terrorist attacked Westminster in March. Parr said: “I am satisfied with some aspects of the Metropolitan Police service’s overall performance, but there are some areas of serious concern about its effectiveness that the force needs to address. I have concerns about the quality of the initial stages of its investigations and, in particular, the shortage of trained detectives within the force.”