Tower Hamlets Police loses 163 officers since 2010

By Rob Virtue on January 7, 2013 5:20 PM |

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Mayor Boris Johnson has come under fire from Labour councillors in Tower Hamlets after the party claimed the borough has lost over 150 officers in two years.

Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request show officer numbers have fallen from 821 in March 2010 to 717 last April.

Police Community Support Officers, meanwhile, have seen a drop from 131 to 72 over the same period.

The total figure sees 163 less police on the streets of Tower Hamlets.

It comes following reports of the Mayor planning to cut the Met Police budget by another 10 per cent.

Labour's spokesman on safety, Cllr Abdal Ullah, said: "We all know Boris Johnson can be entertaining at times, but this is no laughing matter.

"Losing 161 police officers and PCSOs will already be having a major impact in Tower Hamlets.

"By threatening to close more police stations in the borough the Mayor is showing just how out of touch he is. There is nothing more important than protecting residents."

Johnson currently heads the Mayor's Office for Police and Crime, which sets the annual budget for the force.