Forest Hill Police Newsletter issue 1 attached.

Rather than writing a newsletter, go and solve crimes, give us physical places we can report crimes too (oh you shut Sydenham and Ladywell Police station's and give us more visible PC's and WPC's. PCSO's have no powers and are ineffective. When was the last time I saw a PC or WPC walking the beat, can't remember when.

How about quoting figures to show increases/decreases in crimes and types of crimes rather than making bland sweeping statements, some of which is common sense!!!!

Have you tried reporting a crime recently, I did, I had an hour's wait at Lewisham Police station only to be told by outsourced police staff (not Officers) the matter had to be reported online via the fraud line. Really helpful - NOT. In the end I didn't bother.

How about attending an hit and run RTA, oh we don't do that any more, what's the point!!! I thought that's what the Police are for to attend incidents.

This post was last modified: 01-07-2023 05:01 PM by samuelsen.

Sorry to hear about your experiences. You are welcome to join the ward panel to share your views on police priorities in the area. Details are included in the newsletter.

At the most recent meeting I heard that in Forest Hill Ward there were ZERO car thefts or burglaries in the last three months - quite remarkable numbers, although full crimes stats were not available and it does rely on people reporting crimes - easiest via 101 or 999.

Based on my recent experience of the Police, and having seen how utterly ineffective they are and how much they don't appear to care, I no longer have any faith in them.

Crime isn't reported because it's common knowledge the Police don't do anything about it, they don't even attend any longer. Perhaps that's why there where zero burglary and car thefts in Forest Hill. Personally I don't believe the figures, they must be all down at Lewisham Police Station tapping each other on the back that they've done so well, REALLY!!!!

Funny that because if you read EDF you'll realise that car theft in Southwark is rampant.

Until the "police" can prove themselves to actually care about what they do and solve crime, and have the stats to do that, they've got one heck of a lot of convincing to do.

You say call 101, have you tried that recently, you wait and wait and wait and wait to be answered and then wait and wait and wait some more.

This post was last modified: 03-07-2023 03:29 PM by samuelsen.

Funny that at least 1 car has been stolen in Sunderland Rd in the last 3 months, it was one of my co-workers, MPS just gave a crime number.

Sunderland is not in Forest Hill ward. So nothing funny about this vehicle theft.

I still find the figure of zero difficult to comprehend and it is possible that the figure was given in error. But there are a few reasons to believe that crime has gone down in Forest Hill ward over the last few months. Or maybe it is so difficult to report that the figures just look that way (although I have my doubts about this given the need for a crime number to make insurance claims particularly for stolen cars and burglaries).

You can view police stats here:
https://www.met.police.uk/area/your-area.../crime-map

https://www.met.police.uk/area/your-area.../crime-map

I'm also aware that these figures directly contradict my claim of zero burglaries in the last three months as there were 2 reported in April in the SE26 area of Forest Hill ward (those figures are the most recent published but the police internal systems do have more up to date numbers - which are often calculated differently due to differences in categorising crime).

I am reminded of the plot in "Ask A Policeman" where as there was no crime in the village the authorities decided to close the police station. But I think ours including the one on Catford Hill have already been closed.