To gain a greater understanding of local police pressures, Laura Blumenthal joined the Met Police for a late night emergency response shift. It took her to calls in Feltham, Hounslow, Brentford, Osterley and Chiswick.
Laura said:
What struck me was how many calls wasted police time. They were mostly family rows with no crime committed. For the public to call the police to have them advise to go for a walk to cool off or stay round a friend's is an absolute waste of finite resources. We definitely need to make policing more of an attractive career to ease pressure. But when you see police time wasted repeatedly you do wonder where we'd be if they were freed up to focus on crime rather than be argument mediators.
Laura also got to learn about the new tech issued to police to help them do their jobs better on-the-go and the high level of emotional intelligence officers need to win trust. She is grateful to Constable Carter and Constable Quilter for having her attend calls with them and sharing so much about life in the police. They showed exemplary professionalism and service to the public.
For information, there is a public walk-in reception at Hounslow police station near the high street.
