News

Charming Volunteers

Operation Charm

On Friday 5th June, Deputy Mayor for London, Richard Barnes and Director of Development and Environment, Fiona Fletcher-Smith spent the day working with the Metropolitan Police Wildlife Crime Unit. They were taking part in the GLA Volunteering Programme in support of National Volunteers Week.

Head of the Wildlife Crime Unit, Andy Fisher, gave an insight into the type of work the Unit does. Officers then took them through current enquiries, including the process of obtaining a search warrant.

Richard Barnes and Fiona Fletcher-Smith helped officers examine and catalogue a large number of ivory carvings. These had been seized as part of an investigation into the activities of an international ivory dealer.

Richard Barnes said, "The value of wildlife crime is second only to that of drugs. London is a centre for international wildlife crime, but it also has very important wildlife in every Borough; from badgers to chaffinches, from otters to kestrels, they all enhance the quality of our life and we all have a responsibility to protect them."

Detective Constable David Flint said of the volunteers, "The GLA is a major partner in Operation Charm and the Volunteering Programme was a chance for senior members of the GLA to see at first hand how wildlife crime is investigated. Richard and Fiona learnt about the crime prevention initiatives undertaken and took part in the day to day working of the Wildlife Crime Unit. This was a very useful and welcome exercise for all those involved."

Both the Metropolitan Police and the GLA are strong supporters of National Volunteers Week, which this year celebrated its 25th anniversary. National Volunteers Week celebrates the commitment volunteers make in all walks of life and ran from the 1st to the 7th of June 2009.