Sadiq Khan’s Labour administration has presided over a recruitment crisis in the Metropolitan Police. Around 3000 officers are leaving the force every year with only 1200 new officers joining. Morale is at an all-time low with resignations now causing 50% of those leaving. Londoners are paying the price for Labour’s failing.
Despite promising more officers at the election, this year, Labour will be cutting 1700 posts from the police. This will add more stain and further damage morale of our hard-working police officers. I want to see the police properly supported by City Hall so that they can do the job they signed up to, and keep our communities safe.
This includes:
- New police bases in West Wickham, Penge, Erith, Chislehurst/ Mottingham, and Welling so that local officers can be on the beat not waiting for the bus,
- Letting police access resources to prevent crime and understand criminal behaviour patterns – such using existing ANPR recognition owned by TfL to tackle vehicle theft,
- New Town Centre Police Teams to focus on shoplifting and new night-time economies, easing the burden on our Safer Neighbourhood Teams and,
- Reducing abstractions which take our neighbourhood police out of the neighbourhood.
The Basic Command Unit (BCU) structure introduced by Labour means that Bexley and Bromley is losing police resource to places like Croydon, Lewisham and Greenwich. Labour have failed us on policing. Bexley and Bromley deserves better. I will continue to support our police and ensure they have the resources they need.
