Burstow: We need bobbies on the beat, not behind desks

6.33.22pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 2nd Apr 2007

Paul Burstow, MP for Sutton and Cheam, has written to London Mayor Ken Livingstone and Home Secretary John Reid, challenging them to stop cuts to the borough's police budget that will force a dozen police officers into desk jobs.

The cut in budget is based on the assumption that the introduction of the centralised London-wide police telephone system, MetCall reduces the need for staff in local police stations. As a result of the budget reductions, a total of 17 civilian posts across a number of police departments in Sutton.

However, the reality is that many of these jobs have not been made redundant by the introduction of the new system as has been hoped. Local Police Commander Bob Reed has told Paul Burstow MP that he believes between 10 and 12 of the posts will need to be filled by officers currently patrolling Sutton's streets.

Mr Burstow - who has met with Commander Reed to discuss the cuts - has now written to both the Mayor and Home Secretary to ask for an urgent review of the police budget across London. He has asked them to review the budget allocation for London's civilian police staff on the basis that assumptions about the impact of MetCall's introduction are fundamentally flawed.

Speaking about his decision to write the Mayor and the Home Secretary, Paul Burstow MP said:

"It makes no sense for the police to be forced to be stuck behind desks doing office work. It is a waste of taxpayers money."

"The Government, who set the level of police grant, and the Mayor, who decides how much of London's grant is given over to civilian staff, have based their decisions on flawed assumptions."

"MetCall's introduction has taken responsibility for some functions away from local police stations, but it has not had the massive impact that was predicted."

"Because of this error by those making these decisions, there will be 12 less officers out on our streets, protecting the public and keeping crime down."