Whilst those who live and work in London should go about their daily lives without fear - we do however ask that they take sensible precautions to ensure their safety.
We would advise members of the public to avoid any unnecessary travel to areas that have been affected by the events of the last couple of days, and help the emergency services by giving us the room that we need to respond. Make sure you are safe and do not put yourselves into vulnerable positions.
It is possible that your journeys to and from work may be affected so think ahead and plan carefully. Stay alert and be aware of what is going on around you. If you do have any concerns about returning home this evening, you should consider staying with friends or family members outside of the affected areas.
Over the last 24 hour period we have received almost four times more 999 emergency calls than normal (20,800 compared to 5,400). Consequently some callers may experience difficulty in getting through to 999, or waiting longer than usual for their call to be answered. We would ask you to bear with us, and only use 999 in situations that require an immediate police response.
DAC Steve Kavanagh said: "I wish to reassure members of the public that a London wide policing operation is in place to manage any further public disorder in the capital. We are doing everything we can by working with our partners and the community to ensure residents and businesses can go about their daily lives in confidence."
FAQs
Getting information and advice
Where can I get information and advice? Police are providing the media with information to keep the public informed. Tune in to your local radio or television station for updates or visit our website.
You can also follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/metpoliceuk or join our Neighbourhoodlink Service.
How can I find out local information? Many councils are providing local updates on the disturbances in their area. You can find your local council by following the DirectGov link below: Find your local council Opens new window
Travelling in and around London
Is it safe to travel around London? We would advise members of the public to avoid any unnecessary travel to areas that have been affected by the events of the last couple of days and to keep safe by not putting themselves into vulnerable positions.
It is possible that your journeys to and from work may be affected so think ahead and plan carefully. Stay alert and be aware of what is going on around you.
If you do have any concerns about returning home this evening, you should consider staying with friends or family members outside of the affected areas.
If you need help planning a journey, you can use the 'Travel Tools' on TfL's website. These include tools to help plan your journey and free mobile travel alerts.
You can also call the London Travel Information on 020 7222 1234 any time - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It can provide journey information like the last tube and bus times, bus stop locations and cab numbers, as well as train, DLR and tram information.
Are the buses safe?
Our Safer Transport Teams are providing support to drivers and providing a visible presence, but please consider whether your journey is absolutely necessary.
Advice for parents/guardians
Are my children safe? There are unprecedented numbers of officers on the streets of London - over 16,000 today. We are doing everything we can to support communities and keep people safe.
Over the last couple of nights there have been a large numbers of young people placing themselves in situations that were dangerous and violent. We appeal to parents and all those responsible for young people to work together with police to ensure that youngsters do not get drawn into the kind of disorder we have seen.
There is a role for the whole community - police, parents, schools, local leaders and others - to stand together and convey the message that crime and disorder will not be tolerated.
Contacting the police
I can't get through on 999, what should I do? If it is an emergency please keep trying. We have been experiencing significant demands; almost four times as many calls than normal. We will deal with your call as quickly as possible. If it is not an emergency, please use one of the following:
- calling 101 to report a crime that has already happened, seek crime prevention advice or make us aware of any policing issues in your local area;
- via our website at www.met.police.uk;
- via your local police station.
Helping the police
How can I help the police?
You can help us by assisting in the identification of people that have been looting, rioting and committing crime.
Anyone with information should call our incident room on 020 8345 4142. Alternatively you can call the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.
We are also publishing images of people wanted in connection with looting. Click this link to see if you recognise any of the people we wish to speak to.
Police tactics
What tactic are the police using? The MPS employs tactics that are primarily designed to prevent injury to members of the public and police officers. In instances where officers have been outnumbered, they have waited until they can intervene with minimum risk to the public. The MPS is determined to prevent further crime and to bring the criminals to justice.
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