Met Police force set to lose 2,000 officers as result of budget cuts

London’s Met Police is acceptable to scrap 2,000 serviceman roles and a imaginable 400 civilian unit jobs arsenic it cuts its yearly finances - with immoderate constabulary stations already reducing their hours

The UK’s largest police force is acceptable to slash 2,000 jobs arsenic portion of an eye-watering £450million fund cut.

London’s Met Police, which presently employs much than 34,000 officers, mightiness besides spot 400 civilian unit jobs scrapped arsenic it prepares to slash its yearly finances. Some constabulary stations successful London will besides trim their opening hours to the nationalist from 9am to 5pm, The Sun reports.

The 12.8% simplification from 2024's £3.5billion fund is said to beryllium much important than the “eye-watering” cuts feared by Met constabulary Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley. New fund figures are acceptable to beryllium announced astatine 11pm contiguous by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, on with measures that indispensable beryllium taken successful the aftermath of the changes.

Matt Cane, of the Police Federation, warned: “As we person said clip and again, cuts person consequences. These volition intelligibly person a important interaction connected the Met’s quality to constabulary London.” The cuts would spot constabulary unit numbers backmost to 2013 levels, with the unit already believed to beryllium dropping to 32,750 officers by March from its existent 35,415.

Retired Met Chief Superintendent Simon Ovens said the nonaccomplishment of an further 2,000 cops during the incoming fiscal twelvemonth whitethorn besides propulsion distant officers who were already considering different careers.

Last week Sir Mark said helium was “deeply troubled” by the yearly settlement, and that spending connected policing per caput of colonisation was already little than different ample cities, including New York and Sydney. This week, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the authorities would clampdown connected assorted issues plaguing the capital, including telephone theft and anti-social behaviour.

She pledged £500million for much for officers but didn't specify if the fig took into relationship inflation. The Met said: “We support a productive dialog with the Mayor and Home Office. No last decisions person been made.”

The Met Police was primitively divided into 32 'Borough Operational Command Units' that aligned with London's 32 London boroughs. But since 2017, portion the Met has attempted to save money, it is present divided into 12 Basic Command Units (BCUs) made up of two, 3 oregon 4 boroughs.