Agenda item

The Commissioner & Chief Officers to be heard.

The Commissioner and Chief Officers addressed the Board and provided the following update:

Numbers of footfall had increased within the City, but it remained nowhere near as high as the pre-pandemic level. The night-time economy had picked accordingly but whilst crime levels had not increased as expected, the Force was not complacent.

The Covid command structure had moved over to being business as usual. Two members of staff were on sickness leave having tested positive for Covid-19; this was very low. The Force continued to utilise a comprehensive lateral flow testing system for staff in the City.

As lockdown eased, an increase in protests and other activities in the public space was anticipated. Extinction Rebellion had been recommencing its activities and the financial districts were clearly an area of interest for them. The Force had been working closely with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to ensure a comprehensive plan was in place to respond to these events. Both spontaneous and planned events were expected to increase in regularity.

The inquest into the terrorist attack at Fishmonger’s Hall had demanded commitment from the Force both in terms of security for the event and for  the many officers who were involved with the incident, who had been called upon to provide statements. 

There had been a gradual rise in the number of non-residential burglary reports following thefts and break-ins at offices that had been left unoccupied for large periods of time over the course of the last year. This had been expected as people began to return to the City and discover the crime. There had also been an increase in shoplifting and begging in the area of Bishopsgate and Cheapside, to which the Force responded to accordingly. The Force had deployed uniform and non-uniform operations resulting in a greater detection of Class-A drug supply.

The Chair wished to give credit to those officers who had participated in the inquest. The events at Fishmonger’s Hall highlighted the protective security priority and why this was needed.

RESOLVED, that the update be noted.