Operation Target - massive police propaganda?
200 police swooped on Queen's Crescent in Camden, London yesterday in what was a massive suprise raid on suspected drug dealers and criminal gangs in the area.
See http://www.camdennewjournal.com/news/2011/jul/200-police-gang-swoop-queens-crescent-rush-hour-operation-targets-drug-dealers-estate for details.
Although many will be delighted that a police operation on this scale has been mounted in the Queen's Crescent
area some will be questioning the timing of the operation.
A similar operation that had also been "months in planning" took place this week in Hackney.
See http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/police_arrest_20_in_dalston_junction_drugs_crackdown_1_969092
That both these operations took place in the week that Sir Paul Stephenson and John Yates resigned seems more than a coincidence.
The briefing given to police in Queen's Crescent that I saw yesterday included a section attributed to Mr Godwin (presumably Tim Godwin Deputy Commissioner).
It was a rallying call to staff to "walk tall" during these "tricky" "challenging" "upsetting" times.
It refers specifically to the resignation of Sir Paul and Mr Yates.
I can't help but see this operation serving two purposes.
One is to fight crime.
The second is to boost police morale and to create positive propaganda in a bad news week for the Met.
