Met Police promises London crime crackdown despite staff cuts
The Metropolitan Police has promised to tackle crime in London hotspots, such as the West End, even as its budget is cut and it is set to lose 1,700 officers and staff.
In a statement issued on Thursday 31 July, the Met said despite getting smaller, it would apply smarter tactics and concentrate resources on its biggest priorities. This will include shifting 80 more officers to the dedicated West End team to crack down on antisocial behaviour, violence against women and girls, shoplifting, and phone robbery in the area.
Teams in six other town centres will also be expanded, with 90 additional officers being deployed to crime hotspots in Brixton, Kingston, Ealing, Finsbury Park, Southwark, and Spitalfields.
The Met said it has recruited over 300 additional PCSOs for neighbourhood policing teams towards a target of 500. This forms part of a shift of police resources to focus on neighbourhood policing, partnering with local authorities to tackle crime in London hotspots.
The Met added that is arresting 1,000 more criminals each month and the first six weeks of this financial year have seen reductions in a number of crime types compared with the same period last year.
Increased use of facial recognition
As it is losing a total of 1,700 officers and staff overall, the Met has started moving officers from the dedicated Royal Parks policing team and schools officers into local policing teams.
It will also rely on increased use of live facial recognition technology across London, supported by additional officers and staff.
Currently this technology is used four times a week across two days, but this will now increase up to five days a week, delivering up to 10 deployments a week across London.
“The Met is getting smaller but more capable. We have a laser-like focus on ensuring our officers and staff are in roles where they can drive down crime on issues that matter the most to Londoners,” said Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley.
“We’re adding up to 170 additional officers, split between the West End and town centres across London.”
“While our budget has decreased in real terms, we are using this additional funding from City Hall and Home Office productively to support our mission to take a targeted approach to tackling volume crime and bolster our specialist tactics to disrupt the criminal gangs who fuel anti-social behaviour, robbery and theft,” Rowley said.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan added that funding from City Hall would aid in increasing the number of police officers on the beat and working in hotspot areas in town centres.
“Despite years of austerity by the previous government, this is the latest example of the Met Police and I prioritising what Londoners want and delivering on our pledge to put high visibility policing at the heart of fighting crime and rebuilding community confidence and trust,” Khan said.
“These new and boosted Safer Neighbourhood Teams will focus on tackling antisocial behaviour, phone robbery and shoplifting in key areas. This fresh targeted action is happening in tandem with enhanced police and partnership work already underway in our high streets and town centres this summer.”
