Published: 3 February, 2012

• Islington’s police service is being reduced. Last year, we were told our borough, along with all other London boroughs, regardless of crime statistics or demonstrable need, had to accept an across-the-board 25 per cent reduction in Safer Neighbourhoods police sergeants, with the consequence that half of the wards in the borough are now “sharing” a sergeant. 

It seemed to us absolute folly to reduce this force, but we were assured the sergeants that had to be “shared” between wards would be given extra admin support, and we would “hardly notice the difference”.

What has been happening since, however, is that Safer Neighbourhoods teams are being deliberately allowed to shrink, by not replacing officers who are promoted, off sick or borrowed for other duties.

This “natural wastage” is being deliberately used to reduce the size of the teams, while the budget is supposedly “ring-fenced”. 

This is effectively a “stealth cut” to the most valuable teams on our local police force. It does not make residents feel safer to know these cuts to the Safer Neighbourhoods teams are going on behind their backs. In some wards the effective police teams are already down to less than half their previous number.

Cllr Martin Klute                         
Labour, St Peter’s ward