Bleak outlook for embattled Met

Wednesday, 22 December 2010 12:00 AM

By Alex Stevenson

The Metropolitan police faces one of its most "challenging" periods for many years, its commissioner has said.

Sir Paul Stephenson told the Today programme he was extremely concerned by budget cuts set against the backdrop of a surge in demand on policing caused by unrest over the coalition government's austerity agenda.

He stopped short of admitting the number of police officers on the beat would fall but pointed out until last month's Millbank riot the number of officers devoted to policing protest had been gradually falling, allowing more resources to be shifted to policing housing estates.

"This is a very challenging environment. When you point all of those challenges... together, this is as challenging a period as we've ever faced," he said.

"It's not as we have known it for a long long time. We can make significant economy savings. We're doing that. But how far we can stretch those savings is a real issue.

"So I'm concerned about our current budget situation but I'm determined to maintain the operational capability that Londoners want."

Sir Paul said there were only around 450 police officers available for the Millbank riot, which had triggered a major overhaul of the Met's approach to policing protests.

By contrast last Thursday's protest had seen nearly 3,000 officers deployed - nearly ten per cent of all police officers in London.

"We've got a real passion about a cause out there," he said, referring to student anger about the government's plans to increase the cap on tuition fees to £9,000.

"Within that there are various levels of passion that lead to extremism, and some people who've got caught up in that hysteria."

One experienced officer claimed the violence seen outside parliament as MPs voted to back the tuition fees hike was worse than that seen in the Poll Tax riots, Sir Paul claimed.

He said the Met would continue its 'flexible' policing approach, adding: "We are committed to maintaining peaceful protest. However, what we can't permit is a level of unrestrained violence that means other people who do not want to be part of that process get caught up in it."

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