Letter to Bernie Grant from Paul Condon July 1995

About this item

This is a letter dated 4 July 1995 from Paul Condon, then Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, addressed to Bernie Grant MP. The letter invites Grant to a briefing at New Scotland Yard about a forthcoming police operation targeting street robbery—a form of violent crime increasing in London at the time. It reflects official police concerns and their approach to crime trends in mid-1990s London.

Key points:
– Paul Condon wrote to Bernie Grant on 4 July 1995 regarding a briefing at New Scotland Yard.
– The briefing was scheduled for 28 July 1995, ahead of a police operation launching on 3 August aimed at reducing street robbery.
– Condon notes a general decline in reported crime over two years but highlights a worrying rise in violent crimes, especially street robberies or 'muggings'.
– He emphasizes that most violent crimes involve people known to victims but that street robbery is an increasing concern.
– The letter underscores the Metropolitan Police’s intention to communicate and collaborate with community representatives like Bernie Grant.

Bernie Grant was a prominent Black British politician known for championing anti-racism and community engagement with law enforcement. This letter illustrates official policing responses to violent street crime during his tenure as an MP, during a period when issues of policing and community relations were highly contested within Black British politics.

Source note: The OCR transcript has minor readability issues, such as cutoff text and line breaks typical of fax or photocopied documents, but the key information about dates, events, and concerns is clear.