Andrew Dismore

Dear Editor,

The impact of the cuts in the police budget being imposed by the Conservative Mayor of London Boris Johnson  and the Conservative/Lib Dem Coalition Government  is becoming ever more apparent. It is not just the Labour Party  who are warning of the dramatic cuts their scheme means: the Inspectorate  of Constabulary has now confirmed the huge numbers to go. We already know that five sergeants from Barnet’s Safer Neighbourhood Teams and four from Camden are being removed; and the SNT’s remaining officers  are now often  taken off their local beats to fill gaps elsewhere. No wonder there has been an increase in knife crime, burglary and anti-social behaviour.

By  2014, In London there will be 1,907 fewer Metropolitan Police officers and  820 fewer PCSOs.  On average every London borough like Barnet and Camden will each lose over 50 police officers, including some of the most experienced.

The Conservative London Assembly Member has not written to the police even once in the last 3 years to protest at these and previous cuts. And so much for Hendon’s invisible Tory MP: during the General Election he made a major plank of his campaign, his  promise of  more police on the beat. He  is now shown to be responsible for the exact opposite! We need to reduce the deficit, but not at the expense of front line police officers with rapidly diminishing  confidence in security and public safety.

Yours faithfully

Andrew Dismore

Labour London Assembly candidate for Barnet and Camden