Met commander 'turned away nine vans full of police while Croydon burned during riots'
NINE vans full of police officers were turned away from Croydon while the town burned during the riots because they were not Met resources, an explosive report published today has claimed.
Metropolitan Police commanders allegedly refused help from the convoy as it arrived at House of Reeves furniture store, which was destroyed by fire during last August's disorder.
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A double-decker bus burns in Drummond Road during last summer's riots
Croydon North MP Malcolm Wicks has called on Met Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe to investigate the allegations made by a police officer within one of the vans and contained within Reading the Riots, a joint study by the Guardian and London School of Economics.
The 36-year-old sergeant told researchers he was part of a contingent of nine vans of officers from Thames Valley and Hampshire police turned back from a burning House of Reeves.
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"He was able to hear the conversation on the police radio system between his controller and the Met supervisor," states the study.
"The controller said: "You've got nine vans coming down the hill from Thames Valley and Hampshire.' And he said: 'Cancel'. (Meanwhile) we can see Croydon burning.
"When the controller questioned the Met supervisor about his decision, the supervisor said it was because he did not have communications with the officers.
"The sergeant, listening in, was perplexed: "We obviously have, because I can hear you on the radio. Somebody else questioned it and (the supervisor) said: 'I want Met resources.'
"And the controller said: 'You're not going to get Met resources for a few hours.' (But he repeated) 'I want Met resources.'
"So we get deployed back to the city centre. And Croydon burned."
The Guardian's report goes on to describe how the sergeant and his colleagues felt "absolute bloody disgust" about the command to cancel, and it had a "massive" effect on their morale.
"At that point the (Met's) bronze commanders were pretty much hated," he said.
Mr Wicks called the decision to refuse help from the officers an "absolute disgrace".
"According to the testimony it appears these much needed police reinforcements were sent away simply because they were not police from the Metropolitan Police Service.
"If this is true, it beggars belief and is an absolute disgrace.
"For that reason I am calling on the Commissioner to investigate whether the allegation is true and, if it turns out to be true, to explain this extraordinary action to the people of Croydon."
The Met has been widely criticised for its handling of the riots, particularly in Croydon which was arguably the worst-hit area in the country, with 28 buildings set on alight, 252 businesses damaged and 100 families made homeless.
A report published in February revealed all of Croydon's 60 specially public order officers were deployed elsewhere in London on August 8, the night of the riots.
After the officers left behind came under attack in London Road, Superintendent Jo Oakley, in charge of the policing effort, waited 35 minutes to call for reinforcements, a decision described by Croydon Independent Review Panel as an "error of judgement".
That report stated riot-trained officers arrived in Croydon at 9.15pm, nearly three hours after the looting had begun and, at the same time, the Met sought help from neighbouring forces.
It is unclear from the Guardian's report as to when the convoy of vans arrived in Croydon and how this ties in with the subsequent request for help.
The Met's own inquiry into the riots, Four Days in August, revealed the police wanted to use plastic bullets against the crowds but could not deploy specially trained teams fast enough.
It quoted chief inspector Mark Nanji, who described the paucity of manpower and equipment at his disposal when the disorder first began.
He said: "My initial resources were a mix of local response teams, safer neighbourhoods officers and pretty much anyone we could round up, including CID officers...only a very small proportion of these officers were public order trained, most were wearing regular uniform and for the CID officers it was a case of grabbing whatever was available."
Croydon suffered sustained disorder on a considerable scale and at various points the Met's report describes "scenes of carnage" and "relentless displays of violence".
The Guardian and LSE study also contains allegations that officers complained about the Met's use of its own radio channels which made receiving messages from Met officers difficult.
A 30-year-old constable from Cambridgeshire police arrived in London on the Monday afternoon and found that his unit could not be deployed to hotspots such as Croydon because "we couldn't access the channel that (the Met) were operating on".
For more on this story see this week's Croydon Advertiser, out Friday (July 6)
Comments
by LAFANTASTICA
Saturday, July 07 2012, 12:44PM
“For those that didn't know, it is a type of ostrich.”
by RecFan
Friday, July 06 2012, 11:47PM
“LAFANTASTICA
I hope you enjoy August. You have a lot to look forward too.
However, give some of us credit. We aren't all like you and assuming the Struthio Camelus position.”
by LAFANTASTICA
Friday, July 06 2012, 9:15PM
“Funnily enough, officers were interviewed and questioned when the investigations into the riots were being done and reports were being produced, yet none of them complained about having to sit in vans when the riots were happening. These officers who are now complaining are obviously being somewhat economical with the truth. The riots were investigated. Officers gave their answers. Lessons were learned. End of story. I trust our senior officers implicitly. August is coming up. I am having my birthday and wedding anniversary and my husband is having his birthday too. Apparently, the weather is going to improve as well. Hooray!!!! Hopefully, the Croydon depressives will now stop going on and on and on and on and on.”
by RecFan
Wednesday, July 04 2012, 8:32PM
“It looks as if the Reading The Riots report isn't free. It's on Amazon for £1.99 Kindle Edition.
But, here's a link to a very comprehensive review of the riots, with extracts from the report on the Guardian website:
http://tinyurl.com/7yj38g8
P.S. I'm not endorsing Amazon or The Guardian in any way.”
by Dxhawk
Wednesday, July 04 2012, 8:00PM
“The more you hear about how the senior officers from the Met Police handled things that night. The more you feel disgusted and the more you wonder what else is being hidden by the powers to be. Worse still cut backs and lack of focus from the council,Police and Government do not fill anyone with confidence. Croydon was literally left to fend for itself that night and London Road and Reeves Corner were really sacrificed to save the shops in the North end and the shopping centres. The fact we now that more police were available at this time just leaves you feeling totally let down and that we in Croydon were/are treated like second class citizens.
Much as UVQdan I no longer feel represented by the politicians and feel things are no better than they were in August 2011 and with the disgust of the way things are being controled by out leaders and the fact that banks and politicians have been so corrupt(do we even know the full truth yet?). Society is going down hill fast and even police forces have cottoned on to the fact that civil unrest is very likely to occur again, as people get more angry and more distanced from the Government. Unless politicians regain our trust, flush out corruption in Government,Banks and alike and make some brave decisions to turn the economy around and start to listen to the people that they are meant to represent. Things will only get worse.
Note to the Government cutting the Police will not effect you greatly in your country homes in the counties and shires. But will probably lead to our towns and cities becoming more lawless,violent and let civil unrest take over destroying our communties,our history and our futures. Listen to the public and the Police on the ground and turn things round,instead of cutting back.”
by viper74
Wednesday, July 04 2012, 9:18AM
“And they want to cut police numbers ...what message does this send out to the little brothers of the rioters ...we might see this again happening in Croydon town centre very soon ....at a shop near you .”
by roomster
Tuesday, July 03 2012, 4:29PM
“If there is any truth in the story then the officer involved should be reduced to constable at least.”
by UVQdan
Tuesday, July 03 2012, 2:01PM
“I think time will come when everyone is protesting about something.
We live in a time of greed, it starts at the top, MPs, Bankers, Public office,Shop owners, Rioters... all out to take what theyre not entitled too
I think were going to see alot more civil unrest - The rich get richer, the poorer get poorer and the gap between is getting bigger and bigger.
Whilst i dont agree with rioting, its sad that it takes thousands of people to the streets in order for anyone to listen to them -
Funny how they managed to find £60M to invest in croydon after the riots - where was this money before?
Although im just in my 30's im afraid i have no faith or confidence in our MP's, thus don't bother voting as they sall say one thing then do another -
Have little faith in the policing system (your get more punishment for not paying your taxes than if you rape, rob or murder)
We have gone soft, lost our balls so to speak - although im law abiding, i can see why people do what they do.
Croydon council/ Central Goverment - you can throw as much money as you like at croydon, it wont change - what needs to change is how you promote yourselves, the way you make people in society suffer at the hands of others, your lack of balls to deal with real situations, your impossible way of wasting my and millions of others hard earned taxes on things we dont need, didnt ask for.
Start listening to the people who vote you into your positions and then just then people will behave like people and not like animals trying to survive in this dog eat dog country.
rant over :)”
by GeorgeOB
Tuesday, July 03 2012, 9:33AM
“Next time they should put up a big metal wall to stop the rioters like they did when Palace played Brighton (and there was MINIMAL trouble to justify them doing so). The Met are a disgrace and I can't help but be angry as my taxes being paid in this borough do not benefit me as they should.”
by The3rd
Tuesday, July 03 2012, 9:16AM
“How can anyone trust the police anymore?”