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| Cuts will leave police helpless to fight terrorism, warns Met chief | Cuts will leave police helpless to fight terrorism, warns Met chief |
| (12 days later) | |
| The chief of the Metropolitan police has backed a warning by the head of the National Police Chiefs’ Council that cuts to police budgets will leave officers unable to counter the terrorist threat. | The chief of the Metropolitan police has backed a warning by the head of the National Police Chiefs’ Council that cuts to police budgets will leave officers unable to counter the terrorist threat. |
| Echoing an assessment by the NPCC chair, Sara Thornton, who warned that investigating terrorism was leaving police overstretched, Cressida Dick said her force was under huge strain after London was hit by four attacks in less than six months. | Echoing an assessment by the NPCC chair, Sara Thornton, who warned that investigating terrorism was leaving police overstretched, Cressida Dick said her force was under huge strain after London was hit by four attacks in less than six months. |
| Dick began work as Met commissioner after the Westminster attack and has led the force through attacks at London Bridge, Finsbury Park and Parsons Green. She told LBC radio that an “enormous” number of officers was needed to respond to each. | Dick began work as Met commissioner after the Westminster attack and has led the force through attacks at London Bridge, Finsbury Park and Parsons Green. She told LBC radio that an “enormous” number of officers was needed to respond to each. |
| Referring to experts’ claim that the spate of attacks represents a “shift” rather than a “spike” in the threat, she said: “That puts a strain on not just the counterterrorism police, but neighbourhood officers and all our officers and staff. | Referring to experts’ claim that the spate of attacks represents a “shift” rather than a “spike” in the threat, she said: “That puts a strain on not just the counterterrorism police, but neighbourhood officers and all our officers and staff. |
| “In the long run, if we continue with this level of threat, which is what people are predicting, I agree with Sara – this is not sustainable for my force.” | “In the long run, if we continue with this level of threat, which is what people are predicting, I agree with Sara – this is not sustainable for my force.” |
| Saving people’s lives and stopping terrorism will always be the highest priority, Dick said. But she warned the Met “will have to make some very hard choices” about responding to emergency calls. | Saving people’s lives and stopping terrorism will always be the highest priority, Dick said. But she warned the Met “will have to make some very hard choices” about responding to emergency calls. |
| “We’ve got emergency calls going up, we’ve got crime going up nationally and in London,” Dick said. “Violent crime is a particular problem. It’s already putting a huge strain on the system.” | “We’ve got emergency calls going up, we’ve got crime going up nationally and in London,” Dick said. “Violent crime is a particular problem. It’s already putting a huge strain on the system.” |
| Thornton has criticised a plan to cut the police allocation of the counter-terrorism budget by 7.2% in the next three years. “When the volume and nature of a threat is growing alarmingly, that is a real concern,” she wrote in a blogpost. | Thornton has criticised a plan to cut the police allocation of the counter-terrorism budget by 7.2% in the next three years. “When the volume and nature of a threat is growing alarmingly, that is a real concern,” she wrote in a blogpost. |
| The funding squeeze risked damaging neighbourhood policing and the trust necessary for people to give officers information to catch terrorists, Thornton said. | The funding squeeze risked damaging neighbourhood policing and the trust necessary for people to give officers information to catch terrorists, Thornton said. |
| “Police chiefs will do all they can to protect the public from terrorism. We will make choices about what we prioritise and where we invest. Some of these choices may be difficult and unpalatable to the public but we can make them if necessary,” she added. | “Police chiefs will do all they can to protect the public from terrorism. We will make choices about what we prioritise and where we invest. Some of these choices may be difficult and unpalatable to the public but we can make them if necessary,” she added. |
| The intervention from two of the the UK’s most senior police officers comes as the Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, accused Theresa May of deploying “smoke and mirrors” over a “derisory” pay award. | The intervention from two of the the UK’s most senior police officers comes as the Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, accused Theresa May of deploying “smoke and mirrors” over a “derisory” pay award. |
| “You expect officers to run towards terrorists one minute and then turn your backs when we ask for help so they can afford to feed their families,” wrote representatives of the 43 federations in England and Wales. | “You expect officers to run towards terrorists one minute and then turn your backs when we ask for help so they can afford to feed their families,” wrote representatives of the 43 federations in England and Wales. |
| A pay rise of 2% “with no extra money to pay for it means it is the public who will yet again suffer and get even less of a service”, they said. At prime minister’s questions last week, May declined to answer a question from Jeremy Corbyn on whether police numbers could be cut to fund the award. | A pay rise of 2% “with no extra money to pay for it means it is the public who will yet again suffer and get even less of a service”, they said. At prime minister’s questions last week, May declined to answer a question from Jeremy Corbyn on whether police numbers could be cut to fund the award. |
| “A 2% rise is not a rise when it has to come from existing policing budgets. It’s a disgrace you have dressed it up as a pay rise,” the federations wrote. | “A 2% rise is not a rise when it has to come from existing policing budgets. It’s a disgrace you have dressed it up as a pay rise,” the federations wrote. |
| “We don’t want meaningless platitudes. We want a properly funded and well-resourced police service. The public rightly want and expect this. For the sake of those who put their lives on the line for the public we demand you address these injustices and give us answers.” | “We don’t want meaningless platitudes. We want a properly funded and well-resourced police service. The public rightly want and expect this. For the sake of those who put their lives on the line for the public we demand you address these injustices and give us answers.” |