The chief commissioner has said Labour won’t be able to meet targets.
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00:00The head of London's Metropolitan Police has issued a serious warning that without more financial support from central government, the capital could see a rise in knife crime and violence against women and theft as well.
00:18In a report to be presented to the London Policing Board this week, Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley reportedly stated that the Met is being forced to shrink due to budget constraints and that Londoners need to be told the truth about the consequences and potential increase in crime.
00:39The Commissioner is expected to warn that unless more money comes through in the government's spending review that takes place this June, ministers may not be able to deliver on their promises, particularly the goal of halving knife crime and reducing violence against women and girls over the next 10 years.
01:02Now, Home Secretary Yvette Gouper said last week in an interview with BBC that a full review of the Met's finances is currently underway in partnership with the Mayor Sadiq Khan and Scotland Yard as well.
01:20In the report, Sir Mark reportedly said that the Met had set out to grow to 38,000 police officers and 19,000 staff, but forecasts show the force will fall short of that by the end of the year.
01:36It expects to have just over 31,000 officers and fewer than 11,000 staff, around 1,700 officers, police community support officers, and other staff are likely to be lost.
01:53So how safe are Londoners feeling in the capital?
01:56But I was mugged when I was like 13 years old by like two guys directly outside a police station.
02:02And then I had to cry on the police station doorstep for like 15 minutes before they even opened the door to see what was going on.
02:09So like, I feel like that for me sort of like severely damaged my interest in seeing more cops as the solution to anything.
02:15Because I got mugged on a cop's doorstep and they didn't do much.
02:18So, you know.
02:20Honestly, I feel really safe.
02:22But I also take the point that I'm like six foot five, a bit frowny, a bit tall.
02:25So I think, you know, I naturally in my body feel safe than others.
02:29Like, for instance, I've, you know, I've been married for a long time and there's areas that I feel safe my wife feels less safe in.
02:34And that's just the dynamics of a male and a female, some sort of things.
02:37But I don't think London is any less safe than it used to be for most people.
02:42It's a massive city.
02:43It's nine, ten million people.
02:45Bad things are going to happen, but they're isolated.
02:47And I don't think it's a crime wave.
02:49It's not a livable city.
02:51It's a really nice city.
02:52And unfortunate things happen.
02:54But, you know, like it's a really nice day.
02:55People are wandering around.
02:56I don't feel unsafe.