UK Policing News

http://news.met.police.uk/news/met-announces-changes-to-local-policing-294044 A BCU is a larger police command unit that will replace the Met's current 32 borough model, by merging local policing in boroughs to form 12 BCUs.

A tweet from the Metropolitan Police has sparked an online backlash after a drugs bust in Catford, south-east London, was linked to the Notting Hill Carnival. Announcing the seizure of a kilogram of suspected heroin, the force said the operation had been carried out "in the run up to the Notting Hill Carnival". Social media users were quick to question the link between the seizure in Catford and the festival, which takes place annually, about 12 miles away in west London. Some Twitter users accused the force of attempting to "demonise" the carnival. Grime artist Stormzy was among those to question the link: "How many drugs did you lot seize in the run …

A young man had died and another is in a serious condition in hospital after they were shot and stabbed in the street in Enfield. It is the third murder investigation to be launched in the capital in just three days. Scotland Yard said the victims were attacked in South Street in the early hours of Saturday morning. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/enfield-shooting-young-man-shot-and-stabbed-in-third-murder-in-the-capital-this-week-a3792521.html

Multiple media outlets are reporting that the Met Police have taken the first delivery of 11 new hydrogen powered electric fuel cars. Full details and photos are here: Sunday Times: https://www.driving.co.uk/news/met-police-goes-zero-emission-fleet-toyota-mirai-hydrogen-fuel-cell/ Motoring Research are reporting on it here: https://www.motoringresearch.com/car-news/met-police-toyota-mirai-fuel-cell-fleet/ Toyota are reporting on it on their blog here: http://blog.toyota.co.uk/mirai-met-police

A teenager was rushed to hospital after being knifed in an apparent postcode stabbing following a week of violent attacks in London. Two teenage boys are believed to have been approached by a group outside Woodford station, north east of the capital, just before 5.30pm on Thursday. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/woodford-stabbing-teen-attacked-in-postcode-knifing-amid-week-of-violence-in-london-a3791516.html

A police dog who saved his handler from a robbery suspect armed with a 10-inch knife is to receive a national bravery award. Finn, a German shepherd, was slashed across the chest as he stopped the teenage suspect scrambling over a fence. He refused to let go even as the attacker plunged the blade into his head. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/bravery-award-for-police-dog-stabbed-as-he-saved-pc-from-knifeman-a3789996.html

A young man was shot dead in north-east London in the second fatal gun attack in the capital in a week. A murder investigation was launched after the 20-year-old was killed in Forest Road in Walthamstow on Wednesday night. Police were called to reports of shots fired in Forest Road at 9.30pm. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/walthamstow-shooting-young-man-shot-dead-in-second-fatal-gun-attack-in-london-in-a-week-a3790621.html

Many drivers are breaking the law without even realising https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/how-you-could-lose-your-14377497 There's a poll on our Twitter feed on the same subject:

Shots were fired and a man was stabbed in the head after thugs armed with machetes and axes jumped out of a car and smashed up a BMW in a shocking attack in east London. Dramatic footage shows the moment the white BMW reverses down a backstreet at high speed as it is pursued by a black Vauxhall Zafira. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/shots-fired-and-man-stabbed-in-the-head-as-thugs-armed-with-axes-and-machetes-attack-men-in-shocking-a3787056.html

This is the dramatic moment a police officer confronts brazen ram-raiders who used a lorry to smash they way into a jewellery store. The gang used a white flat-bed truck to bash their way through the shopfront of Jai Jewellers before a group of up to five men entered armed with hammers and other weapons, threatening terrified staff. A West Midlands Police officer confronted the getaway driver, waiting outside in a black Audi saloon car, while the men inside the store looted display cabinets and seized gold. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/dramatic-footage-shows-police-confronting-robbers-after-smash-and-grab-lorry-raid-in-birmingham-a3786686.html

The number of abandoned 999 calls to UK police control rooms has more than doubled in the last year, BBC Freedom of Information requests have shown. The BBC has seen correspondence between police leaders expressing "concern" about high call volumes. A Police Federation spokesman says resources are at a critical level and public safety has been compromised. The Home Office says it expects crimes reported to police to be investigated thoroughly. A document seen by the BBC describes how one force is receiving New Year's Eve call volumes every day, and sets out a longer term intention to recruit more control room staff. Louise Haigh, Labour's shadow p…

Hope it isn't too late to share this, would of posted sooner but thought it had been shared already for some reason. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/hero-police-officer-describes-moment-14306468 Utter respect to PC Nadeem. I have to say, as someone who can't swim very well (if at all) myself, that would take serious guts - he's a braver man than I am! Even for a strong swimmer it would be incredibly courageous.