Cuts threat to police

Published: 14 January, 2011

• ISLINGTON has seen record numbers of police officers recruited over the last 10 years as crime and the fear of crime have fallen across London. Now, this success is threatened by the combined efforts of Mayor of London Boris Johnson and the government’s cuts as the Met loses police officers at the rate of 100 a month.

As the Met struggles to cope with the £100million cut from its budget the figures speak for themselves: in March 2010 there were 33,318 Met officers, but last month the Met forecast there would be 32,137 by March this year, a reduction of 1,181 officers.

Met Deputy Commissioner Tim Godwin has said he is initially focused on cutting costs through support functions, information technology, buildings and vehicles, to avoid frontline cuts.

He also said the Met hopes to cut its estates budget by a quarter by moving out of traditional police stations, which are costly to maintain. People could instead access front-counter, high-street services while officers and custody suites would be based elsewhere.

Last month, we heard that our police service is already being threatened by the Mayor’s plan to reduce Safer Neighbourhoods teams. London’s policing is now facing an uncertain future. I will stand up for Islington’s vital police service in the face of these savage cuts.

JENNETTE ARNOLD
London Assembly Labour member for North-east London