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This council notes:
 

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The Baroness
Casey Review into the Metropolitan Police demonstrates conclusively
the scale and extent of the problems within the force and their
impact on communities and victims. It paints a picture of a force
that is institutionally racist, sexist and homophobic. It documents
systematic failures about the way it has vetted and maintained
professional standards, the support offered to vulnerable victims
of rape and domestic abuse, and its record of safeguarding children
and protecting the public. It highlights the hollowing out of local
policing and disempowerment of local leaders
 

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The review
shows that the Government’s cut in real terms funding for the
Met over the last ten years – £700 million, 18% lower
than the start of the previous decade - has had an adverse impact
on neighbourhood policing. Sharp decreases in the rates of crimes
solved and in measures of trust and confidence coincide with the
period around 2017 and 2018 when police officer, staff, PCSO and
Specials numbers were at their lowest and when the Joint Basic
Command Units were introduced, which the Casey Review calls
‘an austerity measure’.
 

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Since July
2022, there have been eight homicides in Waltham Forest, the
majority of which involved knife crime. Six of these victims were
under 30 and two – Renell Charles and Chimaera Osuji - were
under 18.

 

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Waltham
Forest currently scores the
worst in London for the proportion of residents who think
the police are doing a
good job (38%, MOPAC Public Attitudes Survey, Q4
2022/23).

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Stop and Search
disproportionately affects our black residents, who make up
15% of the borough’s population but constitute 36%
of subjects of
stop and
searches in the last 12 months. 
 

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North East
BCU has the second lowest number of officers in London as of May
2023. It also has the third lowest number of female officers (MPS
Workforce report, May 2023). Over a quarter of all police
constables in Waltham Forest and Newham have less than 2 years'
experience in the police force and nearly half of detective
constables have less than 2 years’ experience (Casey Review,
2023).
This council
believes:
 

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There are
many daily countless acts of individual bravery and selflessness by
serving police officers. However, it is clear beyond any doubt that
the Met requires nothing short of total reform to create the
culturally competent police service that Londoners deserve. The Met
must accept it is institutionally racist, sexist and homophobic if
it is to change.    

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The voices of Waltham Forest residents are missing from the way our
borough is policed. Existing structures do not provide a clear way
for Waltham Forest Council and our residents to hold the Met to
account for how it polices and tackles crime in the borough.

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Given that the Met is 77% white and 70% male,
and that half of officers do not live in the city they police,
reform must begin with listening and understanding the lived
experiences of our community. This includes those who have
experienced discrimination and poor service, especially Black
residents who have been under-protected and
over-policed.

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Effective
neighbourhood policing, including engagement with and visibility in
communities and strong child-focused partnership working by the
police with the council and other agencies, is essential if we are
to tackle violence and the causes of violence – including
poverty, domestic abuse and poor mental health in our
borough.
 
This council resolves
to:
 

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Deepen our
Violence Reduction Partnership to maintain the focus on preventing
violence and protecting every child from violence, working in
partnership with our communities and schools. 

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Urge the Met
to accept the Casey Report in full – including the finding
that the force is institutionally racist, sexist and
homophobic.

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Take all
necessary actions to encourage the recommended new borough-based
approach founded on sufficient resourcing, greater accountability
and transparency.

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Ensure our
BCU Commander is accountable for the actions taken in our Borough,
including those of central specialist units.

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Work in
partnership with the Metropolitan Police and the Mayor’s
Office for Policing and Crime to facilitate a Citizens Assembly to
develop a new model of neighbourhood policing, and engagement with
communities, which rebuilds trust and confidence and reduces the
fear of crime.

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Develop our
hyper-local Safe Streets approach of police and council officers
working together to improve our local response to crime and
anti-social behaviour and using all of the levers at our disposal
to prevent crime.

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Work in
close partnership with Met Police for an effective Right Care,
Right Person model so that vulnerable people in our borough are
supported and recognise the statutory role that police have in
helping vulnerable people to get medical
assistance.

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Call on the
Prime Minister to make serious violence a national
priority.