Police numbers understrength in East End

Mike Brooke Thursday, July 5, 2012
5:18 PM

Neighbourhood police in London’s East End are operating on significantly diminished numbers with six wards in Tower Hamlets left without a sergeant and 11 support officer posts sitting unfilled, latest figures reveal.

A third of the area is operating under strength, according to Tower Hamlets Opposition Labour councillors.

Labour’s Community Safety Spokesperson Abdal Ullah said: “With serious violent and acquisitive crime increasing, it is exceptionally worrying that over a third of our wards are without a Team sergeant.

“With police resources centrally focused on the Olympics, Neighbourhood teams and support officers will play an even more important role in policing our communities. It is unacceptable that 17 positions are currently unstaffed.”

Councillors are calling on the new Met Police borough commander, David Stringer, to “do everything in his power” to ensure neighbourhood policing teams are brought back to full strength.