(posted 7378 days ago)South London Press
NewsCops sorry for bungle over drugs
Feb 6 2004
By Crime Reporter Greg TruscottPOLICE have apologised after names and addresses of residents who took a stance against drug dealing in their neighbourhood were handed to a suspected dealer.
Special policing arrangements were put in place when officers realised confidential personal information about the residents had been given to the alleged dealer in error.
The "indefensible mistake" occurred when officers served a court summons on the suspected cannabis dealer.
Attached to the summons were the names and addresses of nine residents of Landor Road, Brixton, who had supported police action to rid the street of dealers.
The residents had given comments to the police about widespread intimidation and fear the drug problem caused their neighbourhood.
The statements, together with police evidence, will be put before magistrates to seek Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) against four suspected cannabis dealers that would ban them from the area.
But when police served the first summons on one of the four alleged dealers telling him to attend court for the the special hearing, it named and gave addresses of the residents who supported the action.
Superintendent Stuart Lowe, of Kennington police, said the error was an "indefensible mistake".
Supt Lowe said: "I regret unfortunate mistakes were made and apologise to the people concerned.
"We failed in this case. I have undertaken a full review of police action.
"We will learn from this. I am committed to working with the community of Landor Road to ensure antisocial drug dealing does not take place in the area.
"The partnership of Kennington Police and the residents of Landor Road is crucial to the success of driving drug dealing away."
He added special steps were taken as soon as the error had been realised.
Supt Lowe said: "This should not have happened.
"I initiated some immediate action following the disclosure which included contacting those persons immediately whose personal details had been disclosed and providing an array of reassurance measures suitable for their concerns.
"There have been no incidents that I have been aware of due to that unfortunate disclosure."
In December, police carried out a massive raid on drug dealers in Landor Road with the full backing of local residents.
020 8710 6435 email: crime@slp.co.uk