London News: Danny Shaw On Post Leveson Media Relations And Police Cuts.

By Jordan Curry – Trainee Journalist

Jordan is an aspiring journalist with an NCTJ Level 3 qualification, supported by Ability Today, who is passionate about reporting on community stories, features, and crime.

Journalist Danny Shaw reported on Jill Dando’s murder, the 7/7 bombings and cuts to policing under previous governments to name some during a BBC career of over three decades.

More recently the renowned home affairs journalist advised a criminal justice think tank and helped develop policy for Shadow Home Office ministers before Labour entered government. Danny now covers home affairs as a freelancer and makes regular appearances in the media.

Lord Leveson’s 2011 inquiry into the ethics of tabloid newspapers brought about stronger journalistic standards. Blagging and paying sources (police included) for information are methods now forbidden with extremely limited exemptions. 

Danny stressed he “never” paid police forces, employees or officers themselves.

“Relationships became difficult with individual officers and some stopped altogether.”

Communications were routed through press offices who became more cautious, and officers were required to log all contact with journalists.

Newspapers found these changes more difficult than broadcast media as they “relied on those contacts and sources for stories”, Danny alleged.

In recent years he feels relations are improving and media outlets receive more equal treatment overall.  However, officers still remain “a bit scared” of speaking to journalists in Danny’s view.

“It’s a shame because this builds trust and public understanding of their difficult and dangerous work.”

Addressing rumoured cuts to The Flying Squad Danny said such decisions will always be “painful and they’re no easy answers.” Previous work tackling armed robbers had decreased though and other areas “require greater police resources.”

Fewer roads policing units, dog handlers and rumours of the Royal Parks team being disbanded while already half the size compared to their early 2000’s workforce, were discussed too.

“These are consequences of limited investment over a number of years” though Shaw believes that improving efficiency at back-officelevel and strengthened collaboration across the UK’s fifty forces would benefit funding levels for frontline policing.

Areas cited were:

• IT

• Vehicle procurement

• Forensic services

• Administrative and HR services

Introducing Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC’s) “reinforced localism” and in Danny’s view, hindered cost savings because of this.

Asked whether Central London protests might further affect neighbourhood policing in Outer London boroughs such as Havering he said “Any cutbacks is going to make things worse.” 

Diverting officers to protests has been a “massive issue for The Met” though it’s part of policing London that protests will occur and little can be done to stop this problem or fully reimburse all costs. 

Police stations in Rainham, Upminster, Harold Hill, neighbourhood bases and Hornchurch* have closed to the public or been sold over recent years. Maintaining physical buildings is expensive and evidence showed few people reported crime or visited. Shaw conceded that the sign of presence from having stations across Havering had been “lost sight of” though when you’re faced with dwindling budgets and trying to protect other capabilities “if you’re not going to cut that, then what are you going to cut?”

*Hornchurch is temporarily reopened to the public while Romford’s front counter is refurbished.

Can Sir Sadiq Khan be blamed for the state of policing and crime in London? “He has to share responsibility as do previous governments and senior police leaders though he’s not primarily responsible for cuts.”

The Met has “made a lot of cuts already” and though there’s always efficiencies to be “squeezed out”  Shaw reiterated a need to streamline support services nationally and reinvest all savings into frontline policing.

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