CHAIR OF POLICE FEDERATION COMMENTS ON MY LOCAL BOBBY AND OUR RESPONSE.

National Chair responds to 'Police have Given Up' report

3 January 2020

National Chair John Apter

John Apter, National Chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW), replies to today’s Daily Telegraph article by Charles Hymas.

The report claimed: “Police have given up” taking some crimes to court and a private police service run by former officers has established an alternative private prosecution service for “minor” crimes in wealthier areas.

John Apter, National Chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW), said: “Police are being forced to make difficult decisions simply because there are no longer enough investigators and officers on the ground.

“The savage effects of austerity on policing has established a new marketplace for opportunistic entrepreneurs to profit from people’s vulnerability.

“Driven by profit, these companies fill the gap created by long-term funding cuts and even dress their staff like police officers.

“It is scandalous we now have a two-tier system for those with and without money, and as a result the public are being badly let down. However, I don’t blame people for seeking alternative solutions, as so-called low-level and anti-social crime is a real blight on people’s lives.

“Police officers are under unprecedented pressure and my colleagues are as frustrated as the public that some crimes are not being investigated and therefore some criminals unpunished. Police officers didn’t join the job to give a second-class service; sadly that’s what some members of the public feel they are getting and I understand why.

“We repeatedly warned policing was in grip of a crisis and this red flag moment confirms this. The Government simply must accept this damage is the effect of austerity, the promise of 20,000 more officers won’t fix this overnight, far from it. If the public are to get the service they demand and deserve from their police we need increased long-term funding and we need it now.”

MLB Director David McKelvey responds:

The first thing I was taught as a young detective was; ‘A - Accept nothing, B - Believe no one and C Check everything’. It appears that PC John Apter the chair of the Police Federation for England and Wales was not taught the lesson. His comments are unfortunately factually wrong and need to be corrected. As a former police officer and Federation Representative I have considerable respect for the Federation. They supported me when I needed it. It is therefore personally upsetting to have to respond to PC Apters comments.

My first concern is the reference to ‘wealthier areas’. A bit of research (C - check everything) on PC Apters part would have established that My Local Bobby (MLB) has beats across all parts of London and the suburbs. I doubt most of our residents would consider themselves ‘wealthy’. We also patrol the highest crime area in the country, which incidentally has seen a huge reduction in crime since we started patrolling that ‘beat’. I would also hardly call the Cheetham Hill area of Manchester ‘wealthy’, it is acknowledged as one of the most deprived areas in the UK and yet we have had a dramatic impact on crime in the area over recent years as reported in the Local Manchester newspapers and acknowledged by our friends at GMP. We have been in discussion with residents in other deprived areas of London to implement new ‘beats’.

We do not dress our ‘Bobbies’ like police officers. Our team wear distinctive red vests with the words ‘security’ on the front and back. They also wear a distinctive red cap. We require them to be smart and polite at all times. Likewise our vehicles have a distinctive blue livery.

I completely accept PC Apters comments about the lack of investigators but that is not the reason for the current problems experienced by the police and not MLB’s fault.

I do however find PC Apters spurious allegations that I/we (the Directors and owners) are ‘opportunistic entrepreneurs profiting from people’s vulnerability’ and ‘that we are driven by profit’. Firstly MLB makes a loss and has done for over two years. It is funded by the parent company TM Eye. Secondly I have never taken a salary from either company. I live off my police pension and my wife works. During my service as a police career detective and since, my motivation has always been to make a difference. Like those former experienced career detectives who work at TM Eye I see policing as a vocation. We regularly undertake investigations at no cost to victims families. Our primary business is in the arena of illicit goods; tobacco, life saving medicines and luxury goods. These are crimes that police rarely take an interest or investigate. I would like to think that we have saved lives, particularly in tackling the manufacture and supply of fake life saving medicines.the results speak for themselves; over 500 private criminal prosecutions and a 100% conviction rate. 13% of those convicted receive custodial sentences. The malicious allegations about MLB being driven by profit are incorrect.

I am not sure when PC Apter last left his plush offices at Leatherhead, paid for by the contributions of retired officers such as those working for TM Eye and MLB, or when he last worked at the ‘coal face’, but he needs to grasp what is happening on the streets and with the public. Police are rarely responding to burglaries, vehicle crimes or robberies and little or no investigation is taking place. Prosecutions are at a 50 year low. The public are fed up and the police have lost their support. We spend all day listening to complaints about the police. We always defend them. PC Apter appears to accept these failings. The failure to arrest or prosecute criminals is having a serious impact on levels of crime. I do not accept that additional money is going to solve the problems in policing. There are bigger issues. We speak to serving officers daily who are actually ‘doing the job’ not just talking about it. There is a real morale problem. There are systemic issues with custody space and procedures as well as failures in IT and response. The once world renowned Metropolitan Police CID has become ineffective. Policing has become reactive and real change is necessary.

If PC Apter or those serving officers so quick to condemn MLB on Twitter had checked they would have found that the ‘beats’ set up and patrolled by MLB have seen dramatic reductions in crime and anti social behaviour. The new Prosecutions Team being set up, the reason for the Telegraph article, was done as a last resort and out of frustration. For months our ‘bobbies’ have been detaining shoplifters, pick pockets, low level drug dealers and other offenders. The police are always called and when they finally attend, usually after a considerable time, if at all, they release the suspects or issue a Community Resolution Notice, despite overwhelming evidence. We have raised our concerns with senior police officers who appeared to be unaware of the problem and we were given assurances that it would change. It has not. We offered to give presentations to the response teams to assure them of our support and that we would gather all the evidence to assist them. Repeatedly when we explained specific incidents we were asked if we wished to make a formal complaint about the officers actions, we refused. We set up the Prosecutions Team to try and assist the victims and to reduce crime. If PC Apter considered the bigger picture and the opportunities, he may appreciate that we are actually on his and the police side. Surely anything that reduces crime and brings criminals to Justice is a good thing. It would reduce the officers workloads that PC Apter complains about and allow the police to claim the ‘clear up’ whilst assuring the public of an outcome. It is not two tier policing. It is called working in partnership and is actually a legal requirement for the police.

PC Apter finally states, ‘the promise of 20,000 more officers won’t fix this overnight, far from it’. He is correct. So what does he suggest then ? MLB are offering a real solution with real outcomes. Our clients, who are not ‘wealthy’, are working people who don’t want to get burgled, robbed or have their cars broken into or are high street shops struggling to survive whilst organised gangs of shoplifters literally walk in and steal from them at will. Whether PC Apter likes it or not we will try and make a difference. Our Bobbies have literally saved lives and daily deal with those crimes and anti social behaviour that the police once dealt with. We will continue to work closely and in partnership with the very supportive police ‘on the ground’ and assist and support them despite the sadly rude and ignorant comments of the POLFED Chair PC Apter.