The Metropolitan Police is to cut more than 1,700 officers and staff across serious organised crime, forensics, historic crime, mounted police, Royal Parks and dog teams.
The cuts are to be made in response to a £260 million hole in its budget for the coming year, which London mayor Sadiq Khan has blamed on the previous, Conservative, government.
Record £1.6bn funding from the mayor’s office has not been enough to stave off the cuts, although Sir Mark Rowley, the Met commissioner, had previously warned of the loss of 2,300 officers.
Khan emphasised that the new Labour government had put forward an unprecedented level of investment. “In one year you can’t undo 14 years’ worth of damage,” he told BBC London. “What we’re seeing are the consequences of those 14 years of cuts.”
Met police cuts
Police Scotland turns away tasteless tattoos
The Met said that despite the cuts, it would protect frontline services such as neighbourhood policing and tackling violence against women and girls, as well as efforts to reform the force.
A Met Police spokeswoman said: “We are very grateful for the additional funding we have received from the mayor’s office for policing and crime (Mopac) and the Home Office.
“While this new funding decreases our original funding gap from £450 million, it leaves us with a £260 million shortfall and we will have to make substantial tough choices, reducing our size by over 1,700 officers, staff and [police community support officers] and, therefore, our services.
“This places an extraordinary stretch on our dedicated men and women. The commissioner is incredibly grateful and humbled by what they achieve with increased demand and a rapidly shrinking Met. Over the coming months, we will be working with the Home Office, mayor and Mopac through the spending review to put the Met on a financial footing which enables a sustainable workforce plan.”
Gareth Roberts, the leader of Richmond borough council, which includes Richmond Park, said the decision to cut parks policing was a “huge mistake”.
“It’s short-sighted,” he said. “We’ve had Royal Parks officers in the parks for over 150 years. Over the course of those years there’s been an immense amount of knowledge which has been built up regarding the parks, the regulations within parks and the types of crime which happen in the parks.
“The idea that these unique spaces will be able to be fully policed by the local wards teams just doesn’t stack up. We know that the local wards teams are already overstretched.”
Overall, there will be a 10% reduction in forensics, an 11% cut to historic crime teams, a 25% cut to mounted police, and a 7% cut to dog teams. Dedicated officers will also be removed from schools and police station front counter hours will be reduced.
Councillor Roberts added: “With the continued strain on resources across the borough and the city, residents already feel that their concerns about safety are not being addressed, and decisions like this undermine public confidence in local policing.”
Matt Cane, general secretary of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said: “Any cuts to policing – despite the mayor’s funding announcement – will only make this dire situation much, much worse.
“The only thing you will get with 1,700 fewer police officers, staff and PCSOs is a lesser London police service for the public.”
The Met Police took over responsibility for policing London’s parks from the Royal Parks Constabulary in 2004.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
Latest HR job opportunities on Personnel Today
Browse more human resources jobs
