WALTHAM Forest Police's Borough Commander has left his post to work on security at the Olympic Games.

A Met spokesman said that Steve Wisbey, who joined the borough in April 2010, had been transferred.

His former deputy, superintendent Adrian Hutchinson, has been promoted to acting borough commander while bosses decide on a permanent replacement.

Mr Wisbey, 52, was originally earmarked to stay in Waltham Forest for three years and told the Guardian when he joined that tackling violence was his top priority.

He declined to back the council's campaign for more police officers and caused controversy among his staff soon after his appointment when he pushed for more lone patrols by officers.

One of his highpoints was helping to oversee the borough's latest anti-gangs project which led to an initial drop in violent crime.

He also argued for more officers being based "in the community" in places like libraries and council buildings.

Latest crime figures for Waltham Forest over the past 12 months show overall reported crime has dropped slightly from 2,220 incidents compared to 2,164 the year before.

But violence against people offences have risen from 412 to 432.

The spokesman added that a new borough commander would be appointed "in the near future".

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