Ken’s policing pledge for London

Ken Livingstone today launched a new campaign against rising violent crime and police cuts in London, pledging to:

1. Reverse Boris Johnson’s cuts to 1700 police officers

2. Reinstate sergeants to all 600 Safer Neighbourhood Teams, more of which will be beefed up to a minimum of nine officers, reversing the Tory Mayor’s cut to 300 sergeants in 2011.

According to the Metropolitan Police violent crimes such as robbery, residential burglary and rape have all risen while police has been cut. Knife crime has risen every year under Boris Johnson.
 
Police officer numbers peaked in 2010 at 33,260 officers. According to the Metropolitan Police there are currently just 31,657 officers in London. On Tuesday 24th January 2012 Boris Johnson admitted cutting 1700 police officers on LBC.

 
Ken Livingstone said,

“Boris Johnson has admitted cutting 1,700 police officers. If I am elected, I will reverse his cuts. And I will reinstate sergeants to all 600 Safer Neighbourhood Teams, more of which will be beefed up to a minimum of nine officers.

‘At a time when violent crimes including robbery, knife crime and rape are all rising in London it’s time to reverse the Tory Mayor’s cuts to the police and make the streets safer.

Labour’s London Assembly policing spokesperson, Joanne McCartney AM said,

“Londoners across the capital have been appalled by Boris Johnson’s police cuts.  It’s essential that there is a visible policing presence on our streets.

‘Boris Johnson’s decision to cut 1700 police officers, including 300 experienced local police team sergeants shows why he is increasingly known as a Mayor who is completely out of touch.”

Ends.

Notes for editors:

1. Ken’s Policing Pledge:

1. Reverse Boris Johnson’s cuts to 1700 police officers
2. Reinstate sergeants to all 600 Safer Neighbourhood Teams, more of which will be beefed up to a minimum of nine officers, reversing the Tory Mayor’s cut to 300 sergeants in 2011.
Ken will bring in new money by ensuring that Transport for London pays the full cost of the Safer Transport Command, reduce spending on bureaucracy at the new MOPC, stand up against Tory government cuts and deploy new technology to ensure smarter working and increase detection rates.

2. Boris Johnson admits cutting 1,700 police officers on LBC

Nick Ferrari: "You're down 1,700 in the last two years?"
Boris Johnson: "Numbers go up and down they naturally fluctuate as officers retire."
Nick Ferrari: "By 1,700?
Boris Johnson: "Yes, but as I've said to you many times now we will have more police on the beat at the end of this four year term than there were at the beginning."

More: http://www.lbc.co.uk/boris-admits-1700-police-jobs-lost-in-two-years-50164 

3. Metropolitan Police officer numbers 2008 - 2011:
 
Date                           Police officer numbers
31/03/2008       -         31,398
31/03/2009)      -         32,543 (funded by Ken Livingstone’s last Mayoral budget in February 2008)   31/03/2010)      -         33,260        
31/01/2011)      -         32,380
31/10/2011)      -         31,478

Source: http://www.mpa.gov.uk/statistics/police-numbers/

4. Violent crimes rise under Boris Johnson:
 
•    Robbery & theft from a person is up 13%
•    Residential burglary is up 8.8%
•    Knife crime is up 13.6%.
Source: http://www.mpa.gov.uk/statistics/crime-stats/