Under fire police chief promises to sort out gang violence following teenager's murder
AN under fire police chief has made a "promise" to deal with gang violence following the latest knife murder of a teenager.
Under fire police chief promises to sort out gang violence following teenager's murder
Detective Chief Superintendent Richard Tucker, Met Police Borough Commander in Waltham Forest, east London, came in for severe criticism from local residents at a public meeting following the murder of 17-year-old Elijah Dornelly in Walthamstow.
Elijah, who was stabbed to death during a fight in the car park of a Lidl supermarket on Sunday May 7, is one of 10 teenagers murdered in the capital this year.
Angry residents called on Det Ch Supt Tucker to put more police down the St James Street end of Walthamstow Market which they described as a "no-go zone" at night.
Speaking at the meeting organised by incoming Waltham Forest council leader Clare Coghill, one woman said: "The fact is our high street has been ceded to a violent drug dealing gang and has become for many people a no-go zone."
Elijah Dornelly was stabbed to death during a fight in a Lidl car park
he fact is our high street has been ceded to a violent drug dealing gang and has become for many people a no-go zone
She said of the thugs: "At the moment they know they can act with impunity and are escalating their intimidation of people because they know the police are 20 minutes away."
A mother-of-two said her sons are constantly being stopped and offered drugs by gangs.
She added: "My son is in his thirties and they still stop him."
A small business owner, who moved to London 12 years ago, said he has never seen drugs so obviously dealt and taken as in Walthamstow.
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He added: "There is no fear. There are broken down CCTV cameras and very little police presence.
"As a younger resident and small business owner in the area I am seriously considering leaving to go somewhere safer to work and live.
"For Councillor Coghill, if you want to attract jobs and investment into the area, serious action needs to be taken."
A father-of-three, who moved to Walthamstow in 2013, said: "It breaks my heart to see my children seeing these boys selling drugs every day.
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"Can you please do something about these people because we really don't feel safe at all? it's really affecting our lives."
Det Ch Supt Tucker said he would not go back to the “bad old days” of stopping and searching hundreds of youngsters.
He said: "We need to be more sophisticated in how we police this problem."
He said seven officers had joined his team in the past few weeks, and he expected another 30 to join over the next 12 months.
A mother-of-two said her sons are constantly being stopped and offered drugs by gangs
Det Ch Supt Tucker added: "I'm a cop through and through, I'll listen to you and do something about this.
"Be patient and I will come back here in two months when I've dealt with these people.
"I promise you we are looking at them and we will deal with them."
Two teenagers - Esra Abeka-Soares, 18, of Southall, west London, and a 17-year-old boy from Walthamstow - appeared in court on Wednesday charged with Elijah's murder.