Boris Johnson cuts 1,370 borough police officer posts as violent crimes rise

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Boris Johnson cuts 1,370 borough police officer posts as violent crimes rise

By London Assembly Labour ⋅ January 13, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment
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Police numbers in London have fallen whilst incidences of some of the most serious crimes have increased, latest figures show.

According to figures from the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA), in October 2011 there were 1,370 fewer full time police officers working in London borough commands compared to March 2010. On March 31st 2010 there were 20,599 police officers working in the 32 London boroughs. According to the latest Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) figures, by October 2011 there were just 19,229 officers.

Meanwhile violent crimes including robbery, knife crime and rape have all risen since Boris Johnson’s police cuts got underway.

The MPA’s crime statistics in London for the 12 months November 2010 to October 2011 compared to the same period the previous year show that across London:

* Robbery & theft from a person is up 13%

* Rape is up 10.6%

* Homicide is up 7.6%

* Residential burglary is up 8.8%

* Knife crime is up 13.6%. Additionally, the numbers of victims of all types of knife crime in the 13-24 age group in London increasing by 12% in the last year, and by 29% since 2008.

Ken Livingstone said; “At the public meetings I have been holding in every borough of London over the last year, crime has persistently been one of the issues of greatest concern. Londoners are seeing and feeling the impact of reduced police numbers in their area, and want to see more police on the street, not less.

“The Mayor must prioritise making the city safer and Boris Johnson’s cuts to police numbers are the last thing that Londoners want or expect when crime is rising.”

Joanne McCartney, Labour’s London Assembly policing spokesperson, said; “Serious crimes including robbery, knife crime and rape have all risen by over 10% yet Boris Johnson is so out of touch that he has seen fit to implement year on year cuts to police numbers.

“Keeping Londoners safe in their streets and in their homes must be the Mayor’s first priority. The actions of the Tory mayor in reducing front-line policing risks undermining the fight against crime in London.”

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