The Metropolitan Police Service is set to axe over 1,700 positions across several departments, including serious organised crime, forensics, historic crime, mounted police, Royal Parks, and dog units.
These measures are being implemented in response to a £260 million budget deficit for the coming financial year. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has attributed the financial strain to decisions made by the previous Conservative government.
Despite a record £1.6 billion in funding from the Mayor’s Office, the budget gap persists. Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley had earlier cautioned that up to 2,300 officer roles could be at risk.
Khan told BBC London: “In one year you can’t undo 14 years’ worth of damage. What we’re seeing are the consequences of those 14 years of cuts.”
The Met confirmed it would prioritise safeguarding frontline services such as neighbourhood policing, the protection of women and girls from violence, and its ongoing reform initiatives.
A Met Police spokeswoman stated: “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.”
Community and Expert Concerns Mount
The cuts have sparked concern among local leaders and policing representatives. Gareth Roberts, leader of Richmond Borough Council, criticised the decision to reduce parks policing, calling it a “huge mistake”.
“It’s short-sighted. 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,” he said.
Key cuts include:
- 10% reduction in forensics teams
- 11% cut to historic crime units
- 25% reduction in mounted police
- 7% cut to dog units
- Removal of dedicated officers from schools
- Reduced front counter hours at police stations
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, echoed these concerns: “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 assumed responsibility for policing London’s parks from the Royal Parks Constabulary in 2004.
