Britain’s biggest police force set to lose 2,000 officers due to budget cuts

BRITAIN’S biggest police force is set to lose 2,000 officers attributable to swingeing budget cuts.

And 400 civilian staff jobs might perchance perchance perchance budge because the Met slashes £450million from annual funds.

Some London police stations will slit wait on opening hours to the final public from 9am to 5pm.

The 12.8 per cent low cost from this year’s £3.5billion budget is worse than “ogle-watering” cuts feared by Met boss Sir Ticket Rowley.

Figures for the novel budget are due to be launched at 11pm tonight by the Mayor’s Living of enterprise for Policing and Crime, alongside one of the most tough measures that ought to be taken.

Matt Cane, of the Police Federation, warned: “As we now have said over and as soon as again, cuts have consequences. These will clearly have a significant impact on the Met’s ability to police London.”

And retired Met Chief Supt Simon Ovens warned the cuts might perchance perchance perchance mean the final straw for officers thinking about totally different careers.

The Met is already projected to be down to 32,750 officers by March from its operating strength of 35,415.

The loss of an further 2,000 cops at some point soon of the incoming monetary year from April would set the force wait on to 2013 stages.

Sir Ticket said final week he used to be “deeply alarmed” by talks over the annual settlement.

He said the capital’s spending on policing per head of population used to be already decrease than cities similar to Current York and Sydney.

This week House Secretary Yvette Cooper promised a crackdown on shoplifting, mobile phone theft and anti-social behaviour.

She pledged £500million for extra cops, though did no longer specify if the pick integrated inflation rises.

The Met said: “We retain a productive dialogue with the Mayor and House Living of enterprise. No final choices were made.”