Response to Mayor’s police budget statement by MPA Chair Toby Harris

38/00
1 December 2000

‘The Mayor’s announcement to increase the Metropolitan Police budget by £60million in order to boost the number of patrolling police officers is to be welcomed.

‘Yesterday I called for the urgent investment in the recruitment of at least 1,000 police officers over the current year’s budget.

‘Under the Mayor’s plans, additional money is to be made available to recruit an extra 1,050 officers, and free up a further 200 who are currently filling civilian vacancies. This is a good start, but we will need even more officers over the next two years if the Mayor’s target of 28,000 police officers is to be reached.

‘The Metropolitan Police Authority has made it clear that these extra officers will work in the boroughs, and we are pleased the Mayor wholeheartedly supports this view. We, like him, are anxious that any efficiency savings identified are converted into enhanced borough policing resources.

‘The people of London want to see greater use of patrol officers, who act as a deterrent to those people who might wish to harm others, either through bullying, intimidation or the use of knives against defenceless victims.

‘The importance of the role of borough policing has been given greater emphasis this week with the tragic killing of 10-year-old Damilola Taylor in North Peckham. I offer my sincere condolences to Damilola’s family. I know the investigating officers are doing everything they can to solve his murder.

‘Questions have been raised about the lack of police resources and whether this is linked to Damilola’s killing. It is impossible to say whether the presence of extra police officers could have prevented the attack. We do know that the total strength in the whole Borough is 800 officers, which is 46 short. They also have vacancies for 20 civilians. This lack of resources affects the whole of London, and is the reason why the MPA is working closely with the Commissioner and the Mayor to turn around a difficult and long-term problem.

‘The Mayor’s announcement today is a step in the right direction. We now need to build upon it and look at more creative ways of overcoming the present recruitment and retention problems affecting the police, and the civilian pay crisis.’

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback