Police Crack Down On Young People In Gangs

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Wednesday 8th February 2012

A crack down on London's 250 gangs is being unveiled by Scotland Yard today with a particular focus on stopping young people from joining violent groups.

The Met say they're increasing the number of specialist officers in the most troubled neighbourhoods and will build intelligence on dangerous individuals.

Around 1,000 dedicated officers are part of the newly formed Trident Gang Crime Command and 19 new task forces to deal with local gang crime across London.

Operation Trident was originally set up in 2000 to tackle gun crime in black communities in the capital. The new unit will still keep this responsibility but will also work on pro-actively decreasing gang crime.

Met police commissioner Bernard Hogan Howe has told Nick his officers will also try to encourage young people to avoid getting involved.

He told LBC 97.3: "What we'd like to do is to persuade some of these young people to get out of the gangs.

"When you've got 14 and 15-year-old kids - boys and girls - surely it's better that, where we can, we give them a better opportunity for the rest of their lives, rather than putting them in prison. But we have to obey the law."

Mayor Boris Johnson has told Nick that Met Police will continue to disrupt the lives of gang members.

He said: "The police are either going to intervene ruthlessly in their lives, or else they are going to be given a choice which is getting involved in something better for them and better for everyone around them."

Negus McClean was murdered in Edmonton last April by a gang who have never been traced. His mother Ingrid is supporting the scheme but has told LBC 97.3 better communication will be vital to reducing similar attacks.

She said: "Negus would have spoken to me sooner than the police. To get Negus to have spoken to the police, it would have involved me going on and on at him to show him it?s the right thing to do."

The announcement was matched by raids across the capital to crack down and arrest suspected gang members believed to be involved in crimes such as drug dealing, assualt and robbery.

More than 150 people were arrested for the supply and possession of drugs and gang-related violence, while half a kilogram of heroin and a large amount of cash was seized in Southwark and a kilogram of heroin, crack cocaine and £10,000 cash was taken in Bexleyheath.

Detective Chief Superintendent Stuart Cundy, commander for the new Trident gang crime command, said: "Since its launch in 2000, Trident has developed its expertise in combating shootings in London, and in recent years Trident has become more and more focused on tackling gangs across London.

"Today sees the Met building on the proven successes of Trident and other units.

"This new approach is a significant change for Trident as it now leads the Met's response to gang crime, but rest assured Trident will remain focused on preventing and investigating all shootings in London, regardless of the victim's or perpetrator's background."

There are an estimated 250 gangs in London made up of around 4,800 people - mainly aged between 18 and 24.

Sixty-two of the gangs are considered "high-harm" and commit two thirds of all gang related crime according to the Met.