They insist the decision was taken only after considerable consultation with the council and residents. He and his officers on the ground say there was no racial element in the violence and there is no racial element in the response. According to Inspector David Powell, chief inspector of operations, the use of guns is only part of a broader strategy of combating criminality and drug dealing. At first glance the Meadows seems an unlikely guinea pig for tough policing. But for all the people-friendly intentions, the design has only encouraged criminality.
Getaways are easy along the maze of narrow, dark pedestrian lanes.
He shows me the spot in Abbotsford Road where one victim was shot in January as he was cycling home after midnight. Three youths had been trailing him in a Vauxhall Cavalier. One of them shot him in the stomach with a shotgun, causing serious injuries. It was one of nine shootings in just over a fortnight. In both districts the trouble only begins at night.