Press Release: Dismore digs out new Barnet police cuts figures

Andrew Dismore, Labour London Assembly member for Camden and Barnet  has established the latest extent of police cuts in Barnet (see below), through questions to Mayor Johnson.

These show that since the Conservative led Coalition Government  took power, police officers in Barnet have fallen by 71 officers, a cut of  12%.  This includes the loss of 20 sergeants, vital to the immediate supervision of officers on the ground. 72 PCSOs have also gone,  a massive cut of 42%.

This has had a massive impact on Barnet’s Safer Neighbourhood Teams. Instead of the original total of 9 officers and PCSOs in May 2010, for example, Brunswick Park is down to just 4 and Burnt Oak and West Finchley, just 5.

Mr Dismore said:

“So much for the Conservatives’ pledge to maintain the policing “front line”. That front line is the SNTs. They have devastated Barnet’s SNTs by stealth. We need the proverbial “size 12” police boots on the ground to gather information, provide reassurance, deter crime, and catch those involved.

And what of the pledge of the Conservative MPs at the 2010 election? Hendon Conservative MP Offord repeatedly promised in his election campaign to provide more police on the beat, yet he has failed, and has “delivered” the exact opposite.

With the Olympics just a few weeks away, we know that local Borough police teams will be expected to contribute officers to the massive security operation the games entail. This is deeply worrying for Barnet  residents and whilst  the Conservative Mayor and Government ought  take urgent action to ensure the public is protected and  restore the SNTs, in fact after the Olympics, we know that further cuts are on the way from the Autumn.”

 

Police Numbers in Barnet

Question No: 1567 / 2012

Andrew Dismore

As of 31st May, how many full time sworn police officers were there in Barnet; how many special constables; how many PCSOs; how many sergeants; what were the strength of each of the SNTs, broken down by officer ranks and types; what were the comparable figures for 31st May 2011 and 2010; and what he expects the figures to be on 31st May 2013?

Written response from the Mayor

The strengths for the relevant dates are set out in the table below:

  31 May 2010 31 May 2011 31 May 2012 31 May 2013
Police Officers

607.18

574.94

536.85

Not currently known

Sergeants

110.73

106.63

90.48

PCSOs

171.76

145.31

99.75

MSC

135

180

156

 

The table below shows the strengths of Sergeants, Constable and PCSOs the Safer Neighbourhood Teams at May 2010, 2011 and 2012.

 

At present we have no confirmed target strengths for 31 May 2013. We remain committed to protecting police officer numbers together with frontline delivery.

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