Andrew Dismore

During the Mayors Question Time on 23rd May, Andrew Dismore AM questions Mayor Boris Johnson on current and future fully trained police numbers in London. The full minutes from this meeting can be found here.

Below is the full transcript.

Transcript of Mayors Question Time: Andrew Dismore pressing Mayor Johnson on Police Numbers.

Jeanette Arnold (Chair): Can we now have a question from Assembly Member Dismore, his maiden questions.

Andrew Dismore (AM): Thank you, Chair. I have listened to what the Mayor had to say, because there are 1,300 fewer police officers now than there were when the Conservative Government came into office in 2010, but my question really is this: how many fully sworn police officers, excluding specials, will there be in a year’s time, and how many Police Community Support Officers (PCSO’s) will there be in a years time?

Boris Johnson (Mayor of London): Andrew, welcome to our proceedings with great joy; I think you and I were in the Commons together at one stage.

Andrew Dismore (AM): We were, and we argued about this then.

Boris Johnson (Mayor of London): Of course it was under the Labour Government, who made so many terrible mistakes.

Andrew Dismore (AM): But increased police officers in London to record levels.

Boris Johnson (Mayor of London): The answer is that we – and I think I have the support of everybody here – will fight to keep numbers high. We have a particular challenge now, because of the Olympics. There is, I think, an answerable case to Government for 2012 and for the foreseeable future, because the population of this city is growing.

Andrew Dismore (AM): So how many will there be? How many will there be next year? That is a simple question.

Boris Johnson (Mayor of London): As I say, we are going to fight and I am going to fight to keep the numbers high.

Andrew Dismore (AM): So you do not know?

Boris Johnson (Mayor of London): I have given you my answer.

Andrew Dismore (AM): You do not know?

Boris Johnson (Mayor of London): No, I am not saying that, but I am given you my answer.

Andrew Dismore (AM): So you do know but you will not tell the Assembly?

Jeanette Arnold (Chair): Assembly Member O’Connell.

Boris Johnson (Mayor of London):  We are not in the House of Commons now. It is all nice here.