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Serving and former MPS officers think force's story does not stack up. Ukiyo's remains were found on a neighbour's doorstep in West Norwood in September 2015 (family handout) Date - 21st September 2018 By - Sophie Garrod - Police Oracle A private investigations company headed by a former Scotland Yard detective chief inspector has waded in to try and find the infamous Croydon Cat killer after the force claimed it had been solved. Since 2015 around 300 cats have been found dismembered, many of them with their heads and tail cleanly cut off, in Croydon and the M25 area. Yesterday Scotland Yard announced it had solved the mystery, stating there was no evidence that any of the cats had been killed by a human after carrying out post-mortems on 25 cats as well as scouring through CCTV footage and gathering witness reports. It concluded hundreds of cats were all struck by vehicles and then eaten by foxes. Tony Jenkins, co-founder of local charity, South Norwood Animal Rescue League (SNARL), which worked alongside the force from the outset, told Police Oracle of his disappointment and scepticism of the outcome. Mr Jenkins, who also said victims were left “horrified” by the Met’s statement, claimed it was “ludicrous”. He said: “Why would a fox go for the tail first? If it is normal fox behaviour to routinely take the heads and tails off cats and why has there been no reported cases in Scotland or Ireland or Kent for example. How comes there are no reported cases in these areas? “I have been in contact with locals in Wales and in other regions in the UK and told them if they come across any cases then let us know, and we have heard nothing. Is there something different in the water in Scotland making the foxes behave differently?” He reckons the case was dropped most likely because of police having to prioritise its resources but stressed he is not criticising the work of Croydon officers – praising the lead investigator. He added: “I know funding is a big issue given the cuts by central government and unfortunately that leaves less funding for policing in Croydon.” The moggy murderer is still on the loose, he alleged, and is continuing to attempt to horrify children in particular with cats heads found near trampolines, play areas and schools. Last week a head was placed by a goal-post in park in way to make it look as though it was set up for a penalty before being discovered by a six-year-old girl. Met investigators have since spoken with Mr Jenkins, he said, and have expressed their disbelief and have been left “disgusted” about the decision to close the investigation, whilst retired officers have stepped forward to offer help. Now Super Recognisers International, a private CCTV investigation company founded by Mike Neville, an ex-detective chief inspector at Scotland Yard who also launched the force’s Super Recogniser Unit, has approached Mr Jenkins to continue with the investigation as the MPS will no longer respond to calls of cat's bodies being found. Kenny Long, chief operating officer and former public order MPS officer, told our reporter: “We are continuing to help because we believe it is still open to be quite honest. “Unfortunately resources, we understand, is why it has come to this conclusion.” Mr Jenkins added: “We will continue and we are determined there is at least one person doing this. He is probably p*ssing himself laughing wondering what he is going to do next, carrying on like he has been. He must think he is untouchable. “How do you know he hasn’t already killed a person?” The force was unable to provide details of the investigation, hours spent and costs, but it was previously reported that between 2015 and 2016 1,020 hours were spent trying to snare the killer. View On Police Oracle

Head of Met Police claims rank and file is more concerned about other issues. Commissioner Cressida Dick at the London Assembly Date - 5th September 2018 By - Ian Weinfass - Police Oracle The UK’s most senior officer says she fears issuing spit guards could increase the risks to officers rather than reduce them. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said she had not heard a request from frontline officers to use the devices until Federation branch chairman Ken Marsh raised the issue with the Home Secretary in May this year. Mr Marsh however had raised the issue a year earlier at the previous Police Federation of England and Wales Conference. But Comm Dick told politicians at the London Assembly today: “I’m interested to hear more from the Federation and my officers to see the prevalence of where it would have helped. My only concern is that most of the time when someone is spat at it’s spontaneous and it’s not going to help at all, the vast majority of cases.” She added that trying to get a guard on someone’s head could make them react more violently than they otherwise would be. “It may make things worse not better,” she said. Tory Susan Hall raised the issue of treatment for hepatitis C, which she said is stressful and “absolutely shocking” to go through for personnel and their families. When the commissioner said it is only a small number who have to go through the process the politician replied that the small number should still be spared the ordeal. She said: “I find it so perverse that we will not issue spit guards to our officers on the street. “The public needs to know it’s only if someone spits at them or bites them first that it will be put on. “Given we’ve got 40,000 people in London alone who have hepatitis C alone, very often from the groups of people who will be in trouble with the police, I don’t understand why we don’t have them. “There are 32 forces in the country that do use them including the BTP who are on the streets of London. Even if it saves one officer from getting hepatitis C on the streets of London it would be worth it.” Asked later by Labour’s Andrew Dismore about potential legal action from officers over denial of personal protective equipment by the decision not to issue spit guards to the frontline, the commissioner said she doesn’t think there is a legal duty to issue them. She had earlier raised legal and professional standards investigations over the use of spit guards in other force areas as a possible reason not to rush to introduce the devices. View On Police Oracle