The Metropolitan Police has confirmed it will cut 1,700 officers, PCSOs, and staff as it battles a £260 million budget shortfall, raising serious concerns over the future of London policing and public safety.
Services Slashed as Met Faces Financial Pressure
To close the funding gap, the Met will scrap specialist teams such as the Royal Parks Police and remove officers from schools. Other cuts include significant reductions in mounted police, dog units, forensics, and historic crime teams, alongside restricted opening hours at front counters. Firearms access for the Flying Squad is also under review.
The force aims to avoid redundancies by recruiting fewer new personnel and not replacing staff who leave. Despite additional funding from central government and the Mayor of London, these tough choices remain necessary.
Frontline Policing to Be Prioritized
The Met insists it will protect frontline services including neighbourhood patrols, violence against women and girls initiatives, and efforts to reform the force. However, the scale of the cuts has drawn concern from within.
Metropolitan Police Federation General Secretary Matt Cane warned, “1,700 fewer officers will mean a weaker police service for the public.” He stressed the strain this would place on already overburdened officers and the Met’s ability to effectively police London.
Mayor and Met Blame Past Cuts
Despite a record £1.16 billion budget from City Hall, Mayor Sadiq Khan attributed the funding crisis to 14 years of austerity under the previous Conservative government. He acknowledged the Labour government’s record investment, but emphasized that “one year can’t undo 14 years of damage.”
Khan called for a multi-year funding deal from the government in the June spending review to provide financial certainty for the Met, but warned even that may fall short of what’s needed.
Community Impact and Controversy
Claire van Helfteren, former chair of the Met’s Kensington & Chelsea Independent Advisory Group, criticized the decision to cut school officers, calling it “bonkers” given the importance of their role in youth violence prevention.
She also questioned the allocation of resources to events like football matches and Notting Hill Carnival, urging the force to seek contributions from event organizers who profit while public services suffer.
