The Met Police commissioner recently said it would be naive to suggest reducing the number of police officers hasn’t had an impact on crime.
Across the country recorded crime, which had been falling, has started to rise. The rise has not been as steep in Tower Hamlets as many other places, but we have lost around 200 police officers since 2010, and public confidence is being affected. Residents are alarmed, and tell us so. Although we cannot replace all 200, I have invested your money in 39 council funded police officers.
They will focus on local priorities such as anti-social behaviour and drug related crime. And they will work with other council teams – like youth, housing, enforcement - to help make you safer.
This is a three year programme, and then we will review it.
It would be good if we weren’t spending council money on something the national Government should pay for, but I decided, given the widespread anxieties, that this was the right thing to do.
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