A man has pleaded guilty to having an article with a blade or point in a public place, following a targeted local police operation that sought to tackle Camberwell residents’ concerns.
Lamar Whyte, 27, also pleaded guilty to possession of a quantity of cannabis, a controlled class B drug.
Local officers were called to Allendale Close, in Camberwell at around 3.30pm on Sunday, May 15.
Officers were alerted to the smell of cannabis coming from a car and found Whyte sitting in the passenger seat.
A search was conducted, and officers discovered a lock knife and “a quantity” of cannabis.
Whyte of Norwood Road, Croydon, was bail until Monday June 27, when he will re-appear at Croydon Magistrates’ Court.
The adjournment is to allow a pre-sentence report to be prepared.
Members of the community had previously raised concerns about drug dealing and the use of drugs in the area.
Inspector Tom Cornish said: “This incident underlines the value of neighbourhood police officers using their detailed local knowledge to target local priorities. In this case danger by someone carrying a knife in public. The officers showed courage and initiative”.