Sir Mark Rowley, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, has cautioned that the government’s crime reduction targets cannot be met without additional funding. While he commended the government’s ambition to halve knife crime and violence against women and girls, as well as to enhance neighborhood policing, he emphasized that “ambition and money go alongside each other.” Rowley noted that police forces across the country are still dealing with the repercussions of years of austerity cuts, leading to overstretched resources and outdated infrastructure.
The Home Office has stated its commitment to supporting the police in protecting communities and ensuring public safety. A central promise of Sir Keir Starmer’s government is to increase the number of “bobbies on the beat.” Last month, the Prime Minister announced plans to recruit thousands of neighborhood police officers and nearly 400 police community support officers over the next 12 months, aiming to reach a total of 13,000 by 2029.
However, Sir Mark Rowley emphasized that more funding is essential to achieve these goals. He pointed out that police forces are smaller compared to a decade or 15 years ago, before austerity measures were implemented. Additionally, he called for radical reform in policing, suggesting fewer policing organizations across the country to improve efficiency and capability, and the establishment of a “proper national police agency” to coordinate efforts.
The upcoming spending review on June 11, led by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, will outline how the government plans to fund public services in the coming years. The outcomes of this review will be crucial in determining whether the government’s anti-crime pledges can be realized.
