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| Riots report shows London needs to maintain police numbers, says mayor | Riots report shows London needs to maintain police numbers, says mayor |
| (4 months later) | |
| Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, has seized on a report on last year's riots to call for police numbers in the capital to be maintained, amid warnings that Met staffing levels could be hit by cuts. | Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, has seized on a report on last year's riots to call for police numbers in the capital to be maintained, amid warnings that Met staffing levels could be hit by cuts. |
| Johnson said the concerns highlighted in the second part of the Reading the Riots report, jointly conducted by the Guardian and the London School of Economics, were "very helpful to all of us who want to campaign for higher police numbers". | Johnson said the concerns highlighted in the second part of the Reading the Riots report, jointly conducted by the Guardian and the London School of Economics, were "very helpful to all of us who want to campaign for higher police numbers". |
| Metropolitan police officers interviewed by the Guardian for the research raised the alarm about their ability to deal with any future riots as a result of budget cuts. | Metropolitan police officers interviewed by the Guardian for the research raised the alarm about their ability to deal with any future riots as a result of budget cuts. |
| The mayor's office for policing and crime (MOPC) has repeatedly pledged to keep up police staffing numbers, which had risen by 761 to 32,159 since March 2008. | The mayor's office for policing and crime (MOPC) has repeatedly pledged to keep up police staffing numbers, which had risen by 761 to 32,159 since March 2008. |
| But Johnson is under pressure following a report by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) which identified the Met as one of three police forces that may not be able to provide a "sufficiently efficient or effective service" as a result of funding cuts. | But Johnson is under pressure following a report by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) which identified the Met as one of three police forces that may not be able to provide a "sufficiently efficient or effective service" as a result of funding cuts. |
| HMIC said the Met did not have plans in place to find savings of £233m by 2015 and this was of "particular concern". | HMIC said the Met did not have plans in place to find savings of £233m by 2015 and this was of "particular concern". |
| Disquiet over cuts in frontline officers was expressed by his deputy mayor for policing, Stephen Greenhalgh, who used an interview with the London Evening Standard to declare that the funding gap is even higher at £243m. | Disquiet over cuts in frontline officers was expressed by his deputy mayor for policing, Stephen Greenhalgh, who used an interview with the London Evening Standard to declare that the funding gap is even higher at £243m. |
| Greenhalgh warned of "tough" years ahead as he admitted that officer numbers could fall, though he insisted further savings could be achieved at the Met. | Greenhalgh warned of "tough" years ahead as he admitted that officer numbers could fall, though he insisted further savings could be achieved at the Met. |
| Johnson recently assured the parenting website Mumsnet that there would be no repeat of last summer's riots because the disturbances served as a "huge wake-up call to deal with the underlying causes". | Johnson recently assured the parenting website Mumsnet that there would be no repeat of last summer's riots because the disturbances served as a "huge wake-up call to deal with the underlying causes". |
| But, while taking questions from the London assembly on Wednesday, the Conservative mayor said the interviews with 130 police officers of all ranks in the second part of Reading the Riots not only "underscore the excellent work done" by officers but also underlined the need for the capital to maintain frontline policing numbers. | But, while taking questions from the London assembly on Wednesday, the Conservative mayor said the interviews with 130 police officers of all ranks in the second part of Reading the Riots not only "underscore the excellent work done" by officers but also underlined the need for the capital to maintain frontline policing numbers. |
| The officers warned that further disorder was likely, with many citing worsening social and economic conditions as the potential cause, and expressed considerable concern that their ability to deal with any future riots might be affected by the scale of the budget cuts affecting forces. | The officers warned that further disorder was likely, with many citing worsening social and economic conditions as the potential cause, and expressed considerable concern that their ability to deal with any future riots might be affected by the scale of the budget cuts affecting forces. |
| Pressed by Labour's Joanne McCartney about the police officers' concerns at a time when a funding gap had been identified, Johnson said that more savings could be found "that will enable us to get more officers out there on the frontline". | Pressed by Labour's Joanne McCartney about the police officers' concerns at a time when a funding gap had been identified, Johnson said that more savings could be found "that will enable us to get more officers out there on the frontline". |
| But he betrayed concern about future numbers in light of budget restraints. | But he betrayed concern about future numbers in light of budget restraints. |
| "Reading the Riots is valuable to us in making the case to government that a great city like London, where the population is growing, where there are particular strains … what that demonstrates to me is the importance not just of reform and how that money is spent, but making sure that London is properly funded." | "Reading the Riots is valuable to us in making the case to government that a great city like London, where the population is growing, where there are particular strains … what that demonstrates to me is the importance not just of reform and how that money is spent, but making sure that London is properly funded." |
| A spokesman for the mayor said later there was "no change" to the mayor's commitment of maintaining police numbers above the 32,000 mark until the 2015 comprehensive spending review. | A spokesman for the mayor said later there was "no change" to the mayor's commitment of maintaining police numbers above the 32,000 mark until the 2015 comprehensive spending review. |
| "It is difficult to achieve but we believe it is absolutely achievable," said the aide. | "It is difficult to achieve but we believe it is absolutely achievable," said the aide. |
| Johnson also declined to comment on rumours surrounding the sudden departure of two senior figures in the MOPC, less than a month before the start of the London 2012 Olympics, and just weeks after Greenhalgh took up his post. | Johnson also declined to comment on rumours surrounding the sudden departure of two senior figures in the MOPC, less than a month before the start of the London 2012 Olympics, and just weeks after Greenhalgh took up his post. |
| Catherine Crawford, the chief executive of MOPC and previously chief executive of the now defunct Metropolitan police authority (MPA), retired after 12 years and left on Friday. | Catherine Crawford, the chief executive of MOPC and previously chief executive of the now defunct Metropolitan police authority (MPA), retired after 12 years and left on Friday. |
| Her deputy, Jane Harwood, also left the same day but no reason has been given for her departure. | Her deputy, Jane Harwood, also left the same day but no reason has been given for her departure. |
| Their joint exits appeared to be sudden, according to a leaked email seen by the BBC that was sent by Crawford and Harwood to former and current colleagues. | Their joint exits appeared to be sudden, according to a leaked email seen by the BBC that was sent by Crawford and Harwood to former and current colleagues. |
| The email stated: "We are very sorry that it has not been possible to see all of you face-to-face to tell you that today is our last day in the office. The timing has been outside our control." | The email stated: "We are very sorry that it has not been possible to see all of you face-to-face to tell you that today is our last day in the office. The timing has been outside our control." |
| Johnson paid tribute to both former colleagues and said he was "certainly consulted" by Greenhalgh on "personnel issues". | Johnson paid tribute to both former colleagues and said he was "certainly consulted" by Greenhalgh on "personnel issues". |
| But he told McCartney under questioning: "You are asking me to confirm that [they] were pushed, and I am not going to do that." | But he told McCartney under questioning: "You are asking me to confirm that [they] were pushed, and I am not going to do that." |
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