Julia Lopez MP met with BCU Commander Stuart Bell for an update on various policing issues, including pressing for an update on Hornchurch Police Station and discussing local priorities such as ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ in Harold Hill.
As part of her regular interactions with the local police, Julia Lopez met with the Metropolitan Police’s BCU Commander Stuart Bell, to discuss local policing issues throughout Hornchurch and Upminster, which included raising concerns on behalf of residents.
High on the agenda were discussions around the future of Hornchurch Police Station. The station, which Mrs Lopez has long campaigned to retain, is currently under review by the Met Police as part of their Estate Strategy which is due for publication later this summer. Julia highlighted the need to retain a local community policing presence in Hornchurch.
Amongst other issues, Julia discussed the success of the ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ scheme in Harold Hill which has seen a fall in crime of 50% locally. She also discussed her calls for local officers to be commended for their bravery when dealing with the killing of resident Bernard Fowler, a bravery which was again seen this week following the tragic XL Bully incident in Cornwall Close. Also on the agenda were Julia’s concerns around the diversion of resources away from Havering to Central London during largescale protests in recent months.
The MP was pleased to hear about the positive impact the new Public Order Act has had on Just Stop Oil protests, which until last year had been choking London’s main roads and diverting important police resources away from Hornchurch and Upminster. The new act has meant that since last year, the police have been able to act sooner during protests by lowering the threshold at which they can be considered a ‘serious disruption’.
Commenting after the meeting, Julia Lopez said:
I would like to thank BCU Commander Bell for taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with me. We had a good discussion about the Met’s desire to keep hold of local police stations where possible, as well as discussing various other local policing priorities such as ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ in Harold Hill and the bravery of our local officers.
We both share a desire to ensure that Hornchurch and Upminster continues to be a safe place to live, work and raise a family. Whether that’s advocating for more policing services and resources to be kept in Havering, or discussing how we work together on local issues which arise, we are both committed to keeping our community safe.
