Merton secondary school pupils were scanned for weapons by police as they made their way to class today, but none were found.
Police officers installed knife arches at Harris Academy Merton in an unannounced routine operation which takes place a number of times a year.
Merton MPS tweeted a series of pictures from the scanning as part of Community Action Day.
Knife arch operations going on across schools in Merton making sure everyone is safe #communityactionday pic.twitter.com/lfCWbVsn9l
— Merton MPS (@MPSMerton) October 22, 2014
Commander Mak Chishty, who leads on community engagement for the Met, said: “We are committed to strengthening relationships and boosting confidence with our communities, which means that we must engage with the people who live, work, travel or visit London in ways that best suit their needs and lifestyles.
“London is a capital city with a gloriously diverse population that is constantly changing. Our challenge is to keep up with the changes and to police in a way that gives our communities every confidence in the service that we provide.
PC Miles at Harris Academy with MSC officers. No weapons found during operation.#communityactionday pic.twitter.com/DBwcKHJpAA
— Merton MPS (@MPSMerton) October 22, 2014
“We appreciate that there are no short-term fixes to tackle crime and are committed to working with our communities and partners to identify long-term solutions.
“This isn’t something that the police can do alone, but together we can make a real difference.
Around 3,200 police officers and PCSOs are involved in the first of three coordinated Community Action Days taking place over the coming months.
A/Ps Forder with PC Roberts with head of Harris Academy Mitcham. #communityactionday pic.twitter.com/pOXSqLCUdY
— Merton MPS (@MPSMerton) October 22, 2014
The officers are working alongside more than 200 partners and local authorities, with support from 370 Volunteer Police Cadets, to host a series of activities that not only build on existing community engagement but also work together to reduce crime and disorder.
The aim is to create new opportunities to speak to Londoners about the issues that matter most to people across the capital and to share what the police are doing to tackle crime.
Territorial Policing Assistant Commissioner Helen King said: “Confidence in policing doesn’t only matter to the police, it matters to everyone and as confidence improves it will enable all communities to live fuller lives.
“We want people to know that the police are here for them and are ready to act to make the area they live in even safer.”
Picture courtesy of Ming Xia, with thanks
