Cllr Linda Chung on why she wants a Hampstead police hub

We love our policemen and policewomen. The trouble is that there’s not enough of them. 

We particularly feel for them at the moment and admire their courage as they fight against the far-right gangs and thugs who want to destroy our peaceful communities.

Of course, communities under siege must have forces mobilised to help them. 

But where are our local police?   

Our high street retailers have had a spate of shoplifting in the past weeks. In one episode a gang swept through a store, smashing property and terrifying shoppers and staff. 

Mobile phone stealing is again rife but in a more daring form. Masked riders on unidentifiable e-bikes simply grab and ride away.

Even worse, they target women and grab at their hand and shoulder bags, not caring that they maim their victims.  The 999-call response time in one incident was over 20 minutes - of course, the thief long got away.  

Neighbourhood policing is vital and is the foundation of a safe, cohesive, community. 

Linda Chung is worried about the lack of local police in the area (Image: Nathalie Raffray)

We need to actually see a daily police presence.

I know how hard they work, I saw our local team in action as they raced to catch a shoplifter.  That’s in one spot on one day, that’s not enough visibility to reassure the public or deter criminals.

It seems that criminals have totally lost respect for the police as they believe they will never be caught. Victims now feel it’s not worth reporting incidents, whether anti-social behaviour, theft or burglary, because the police can’t do anything about it. 

The closure of local police stations has also led to a decline in police credibility.

How can we expect our police to work miles away from their base, with no opportunity or conditions to write reports, communicate with colleagues and grab some refreshments?

This hardly helps your recruitment drive to replace the 20,000 officers lost at the same time the London Mayor decided to close police stations. 

In Hampstead, we have an opportunity for improvement. Do you remember our campaigns to save our iconic Hampstead Police Station? 

A developer has restored the building and has been persuaded to allow some space for a police hub. Using the former Magistrates Court would be ideal. Negotiations are in hand, but MOPAC (the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime) seems slow to commit, and I hope that Sir Mark can assist. 

• Linda Chung is the Liberal Democrat Councillor for Hampstead Town ward, Camden Council.