Safer Neighbourhoods; real results

I don't normally blog about stories not in the constituency unless they're about policy issues I'm involved in or passionate about.

However, just posted on the Wandsworth Guardian website there's a story about a brothel near Wandsworth Common, raided by the local Safer Neighbourhood team recently - with the result that a 16-year old Estonian girl forced into prostitution is now back with her family and a brothel has been closed down.

The reason I'm highlighting this is because all we seem to hear about our Safer Neighbourhoods officers - especially from Putney's Conservatives - is whining and criticism: that they're useless; that they're not value for money; that they have no impact on the community; that they're no substitute for "proper" Police.

Well, here's a tangible example of our own Safer Neighbourhood teams making a real difference. We in Putney have 40 SNT officers patrolling our streets, building links with the community, making our constituency safer: 40 Police officers the Tories voted against paying for and keep slagging off for their own political ends.

Perhaps I could suggest a New Year's Resolution for Justine Greening and Putney Conservatives: stop attacking, rubbishing and undermining our Safer Neighbourhood teams - and start supporting them. Not too much to ask, is it?

Here's the Guardian story