London stabbings have ‘dropped considerably’ during lockdown, Met Police commissioner says

Dame Cressida Dick calls for 'common sense' approach amid controversy over some police tactics

Stabbings and violent crime have “dropped considerably” in London during the coronavirus lockdown, Dame Cressida Dick has said.

The Metropolitan Police commissioner said knife attacks on young people had been falling before the outbreak and have “dropped very much in the last couple of weeks”.

“Knife crime has dropped considerably,” she told LBC radio on Saturday.

“Many, many crime types have reduced as you would expect. We are of course concerned about some that could go up.”

Several knife attacks have taken place in London since the lockdown was announced on 23 March, including murders in Stockwell and Walthamstow.

Dame Cressida said Scotland Yard had not “yet” seen a significant increase in domestic violence, amid concern that victims trapped at home with their abusers are not able to call for help.

Following warnings about online scams taking advantage of coronavirus fears, she called for the public to be “very alert” to potential fraud.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) is monitoring changing trends in crime across the country.

Chair Martin Hewitt previously said: “There’s no football, there’s no night time economy, there are less people outside and that is freeing up officers who would normally be policing all that goes with those activities.”

But officers are being called to increasing numbers of coronavirus-related deaths in houses and care homes, sparking a warning about trauma being suffered.

And police have been subject to new demands from people calling to ask for clarity on new coronavirus laws, and members of the public reporting their neighbours for alleged breaches.

Many regional forces have set up dedicated online tools to flag suspected lockdown violations to free up the 101 line, while appealing for people to use 999 for emergencies only.

All forces have drawn up plans for how to cope with up to a fifth of officers and staff being off work at one time.

Dame Cressida said absence rates in the Met were low so far, compared to the national average of 13 per cent and that she had “plans for all eventualities” to enable a “good service” to continue.

The senior officer paid tributes to a member of staff in Scotland Yard’s contact centre who died last week after contracting coronavirus, following the deaths of several police officers elsewhere.

Her comments came amid continued debate over the extent of police enforcement during the UK’s lockdown.

A recent survey showed that the vast majority of people support the approach, but some incidents have drawn accusations of heavy-handedness.

They include a South Yorkshire Police officer telling a family they could not be in their own garden, and retracted suggestions that “non-essential” purchases and supermarket aisles could be checked.

Asked about the incidents, Dame Cressida called for police officers to use “common sense”.

“Everybody is trying to do the right thing, trying to help ensure people keep safe and protect the NHS,” she added.

“I think, on occasion, one or two of the things we’ve seen online have appeared over-zealous. I don’t want to be over-critical. I’m not out there every day as those girls and guys are, in a whole variety of different situations, but I think common sense needs to apply.”

The commissioner said Londoners had been reacting “very well overall” to restrictions, and that her officers had only issued “tens” of fines each day across the capital.

The lockdown is to be reviewed by the government next week, sparking speculation that conditions could be tightened as deaths continue to rise.

Government guidance is already stricter than the law, and the gap has caused confusion among police and the public.

British Transport Police wrongly charged a woman under the new Coronavirus Act last week, causing her to be fined £660 for a crime she did not commit.

Dame Cressida said she had instructed her officers to use arrests and fines as a last resort, and was not seeking increased powers, such as to enter homes hosting illegal gatherings.

“I know there has been some talk from some police colleagues about the need to have greater powers,” she added.

“I know the government will be thinking about that but I have not asked for any further powers and I have no intention to do so at the moment at all. I think we have sufficient powers for what we’re being asked to do.”