Fighting for control over the police

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You use the slogan "taxation without representation" to illustrate the relation of Londoners to the police. Why?

London has the only police force in the country with no kind of local, democratic control. And yet London has the same basis of payment as elsewhere. London Boroughs raise almost half of the Met's budget (31% through the rates and the rest through blockgrants). In 1982/3 that means £323 million in all.

We have no say over the size of our contribution or over the ways in which the money is spent. What we want is democratic control over financing and over the uses to which the money is put.

Do you favour. the boroughs refusing to pay the police precept?

Some time ago Lewisham threatened not to hand over the policing bill and the police responded positively by doing some of the things Lewisham council wanted: for example, getting officers out of their cars and onto the streets. However, it has limited value as a political strategy.

The Home Office will fund the police directly and deduct the cost from the block grant. If there is no block grant, then they will send the commissioners in. However, it shows how bad relations are between the police and the community. That is why Hackney are threatening to withhold the precept in connection with the death of Colin Roach.

What sort of democratic, local control are you seeking?

We want London to have a police authority composed of elected representatives of the GLC and the boroughs. This authority should have powers to determine a) how much money is to be spent on the police, b) how that money is to be allocated, c the hiring and firing of all officers of the rank of superintendant and Steve Bundred is chairperson of the Greater London Council Police London policing. It should be composed of representatives from all the local police authorities.

There is a huge gulf between what exists now and what you want. How do you intend to bridge this gap?

rist, the Gie ponce committee is seeking to raise the general level ot awareness of these issues, for example, through its monthly bulletin «Policing London" and through its special reports on Scarman, the Police Bill and so forth.

Second, we are just beginning a wide consultation process, in which we shall meet with representatives from the boroughs and from special interest groups like the NCCL, Black People's Associations and so forth. We will be holding 20 public meetings in London over the next six months in local areas. At the end of this process, we Will make a draft bill to establish a Police Authority in London.

Third, we have got a clear commitment from the Labour Party conference, from the NEC and from the Front Bench for a Police Authority for London. However, they are vague about what kind of authority. We must insure that it is far more democratic and that it possesses fat more powers than the police authorities which already exist outside London. In this way, London will serve as a catalyst for change throughout the country.

The immediate issue is to get wide publicity for and involvement in the consultation meetings.

What practical steps are you taking now?

We have supported monitoring groups set up by volunteers in different localities, concerned especially with the ways in which the police treat suspects in police stations and "non-suspects" in the streets. Their purpose is to monitor what's happening, to publicise any abuse of police powers or abuses resulting from the normal exercise of police powers and to assist individuals who have sufferWhat are you doing about the stage in Parliament?

the police think you look susLondon we have offence, to detain suspects in police stations for up to four days Despite some superficial system will still mean that the Given the Bill seems to be most ineffiing for instance for evidence which the police improperly no powers. There is no requirement that the police should consult with or listen to them. They are accountable to no-one and consist of self-appointed "community leaders"

In Lambeth, for instance, the liaison committee was not consulted before the destruction of houses on Railton Road. It is no different from the Consultative Committee which collapsed in 1980 and was cited by Scarman as a contributing cause of the riots. There are about 50 people on it, Uncle Tom Cobbley and all. It was set up by the Tories but continues to be supported by the Labour Council under Ted Knight who sends representatives to it.

The Labour Council should withdraw all support from the Liaison Committee and set up a Borough Police Committee composed of elected representatives. Ted's.got himşelf in a mess over this.

I understand that the GLC Police Committee is intending to do something about the Preventior. of Terrorism Act.

Yes. This is a matter of clear relevance to Londoners. We have