Bobbies On The Beat Not Water Cannon

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Labour AM criticises expenditure whilst Wandsworth lost 69 officers in three years

The Metropolitan Police’s latest figures reveal that 69 police officers have been cut in Wandsworth since May 2010. London has seen a decrease of over 2,900 police officers across the city.

Police Officer Strength By Borough	Wandsworth
May-10	617
Mar-13	548
Number decline since May 10	69
Percentage Decline since May 10	11%

Source http://data.london.gov.uk

Since his re-election last May Boris Johnson has cut over 1,300 police officers – despite promising an extra 1,000. The latest drop in police numbers comes at a time when the Mayor and government are considering buying water cannons for the police.

Labour Londonwide Assembly Member, Fiona Twycross, said:
“These latest figures are deeply concerning. Not only have we lost 69 police officers in Wandsworth but nearly 3000 have been cut across London since May 2010. The vast majority of these officers have been lost from the borough’s police teams. Hollowing out the frontline like this cannot continue.

“Instead of cutting the police budget by 20 per cent and buying water cannons the government and Mayor should be properly resourcing the police. These cuts are completely unacceptable. Boris’ latest policing plan claims that it will put more police into the boroughs and on the streets, the evidence tells a very different story. The Mayor and the Government’s cuts are too far, too fast.”

Richard Tracey the London Assembly Member for Merton & Wandsworth :
“ I think this is the same misleading comparison we have heard before. In 2010 the custody suites across the Met Police were manned by police officers and these were then replaced at that time by civilians. The correct comparison for police officer numbers is with 2011 with civilian staff in place. In any case, the whole policing policy of the Mayor’s Office and the Commissioner is to create many more officers to patrol our streets with money from the sale of the out of date parts of the Met estate. The Mayor has made it clear that several thousand more constables will be in post in the coming years.”

Inspector for Putney & Wandsworth Neighbourhood PolicingTeam, Jayme Johnson told PutneySW15.com:
"The Local Policing Model being introduced across London over the coming months will put more officers in neighbourhoods. It will mean, as a Safer Neighbourhoods Inspector, I will have morepolice officersavailable to me toreducecrime and anti-social behaviour. There will be one constable and one community support officers dedicated to every ward, who will work solely on tackling problems in their ward and build strong links with the local community. Neighbourhood policing has been a priority for many years, and remains a priority for the Met in years to come."

May 29, 2013