The Met Police has said they are axe “over 1,700 officers, staff and PCSOs” as they have been forced into “substantial tough choices.”
Senior officer has issued a warning the force is “rapidly shrinking” despite there being an epidemic of violent crime and shoplifting across the capital.
The Mayor of London has claimed that the £1.16 billion City Hall investment will protect 935 neighbourhood positions for the “chronically underfunded” force.
Sir Sadiq Khan also said there will be no cuts to the emergency response teams that the “Public rely on at times of crisis.”
The Royal Parks said, “There will be a significant reduction in visible policing within the parks and reduced local specialist knowledge regarding events and legislation.”
The Mounted Branch and Dogs unit will be cut by 25% and 7% respectively and the unit that deals to e-bike theft and gang related crime will slashes by a staggering 55% which could cause more problems on the streets in the capital.
A Met spokeswoman said, “We are very grateful for the additional funding we have received from the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime and the Home Office.
“While this new funding decreases our original funding gap from £450m, it leaves us with a £260m shortfall and we will have to make substantial tough choices, reducing our size by over 1,700 officers, staff and PCSOs 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.”
Sir Sadiq added, “The previous government chronically underfunded the Met, making cuts to policing in London that were in real terms equivalent to more than £1.1 billion.
“This has left the Met in an extremely difficult financial situation.
“As Mayor, I’m committed to doing everything in my power to support the police.
“That’s why I’m announcing a record £1.16bn annual investment in the police from City Hall.
“This historic increase will protect neighbourhood policing in our communities and significantly reduce the level of cuts the Met had been planning.
“It will also mean the Met can continue to reform and build on the crime reductions we have achieved in the capital, with violence, knife crime involving young people and burglary all down.
“However, tough decisions have been made to protect neighbourhood policing and I’m under no illusions about the challenges ahead.
“As Mayor, I will continue to work with the new government and the Met – ahead of the forthcoming spending review – to ensure the Met gets the sustainable funding it needs to help us to build a safer London for everyone.”
