Met Commissioner Cressida Dick has hailed the police for their “magnificent” efforts in their contribution to the 40 per cent decrease in offending at Notting Hill Carnival 2019.
Speaking on the reduced crime rates, Ms Dick said she was “incredibly proud” after her officers coped with the heat and the fast-paced environment of the “unique event” which sees hundreds of thousands of people every year.
She went on to praise the organisers on working hard to bring a safe and successful event to life. Furthermore, she disclosed that the crime and arrest figures were significantly lower than those in earlier years.
This year, a total of 386 offences were recorded, compared to 647 the previous year. Police figures currently show 354 arrests: 166 drug arrests, 34 for the possession of offensive weapons and 37 for assaults on police.
While there were no near-fatal incidents as there were in previous years, the Met Commissioner went on to say: “This is not acceptable. These are crimes. They shouldn’t happen.”