Reports show London could lose thousands of Met officers

London is at risk of losing thousands of Met officers over the coming years, as the Metropolitan Police Services’s (MPS) staffing assessment shows a need for 4,000 extra officers. There is worry this will not be able to be achieved with a forecast budget gap of £450 million for 2025-26.

The Met’s 2025-26 Budget Submission states: “The MPS’ current assessment of its resource need based on the population it covers, and compared to other police forces of capital cities, is to grow to a workforce of 38,000 officers and 19,000 staff, based on a desired 2:1 ratio.” As of September 2024, these figures were at 33,509 and 11,150 respectively, a lack of 4,491 officers.

The MPS commissioner worries that the budget “could represent a reduction of 2,300 officers policing London, along with 400 staff, having a seriously detrimental impact.”

Moreover, the latest Commissioner’s Report to the London Policing Board states: “Based on an assessment of the Budget pressures agreed with the Mayor, the MPS has a budget gap of £450 million between our requirement and the budget for 2025-26.”

Yesterday (Tuesday 7th January), the London Assembly Budget and Performance Committee met to question the Met, the deputy mayor and the Mayor Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) on the difficulties of recruiting officers. Additionally, the Committee will discussing the funding for the New Met for London Plan, alongside managing reserve s and savings.

Guests included Maya Comer-Schwartz, deputy mayor for policing and crime, Lib Peck, director of the violence reduction unit, and Arian Scott, chief energy and transformation officer for MPS.