Boris Johnson’s flagship police recruitment pledge will leave more than half of forces below 2010 officer levels and entrench existing inequalities between Tory heartlands and our major towns and cities, Labour analysis has revealed.

The government has confirmed that officer numbers will be allocated through an outdated funding formula, which the current Policing Minister has called “manifestly unfair” and subject to “constant complaints and nobody really had the cajones to get a grip on it”.

Our analysis has revealed that dozens of forces will still be far short of 2010 levels, when the Tories came to power, even after the recruitment pledge has concluded based on the use of the funding formula to allocate officer numbers. 
Click here for details  www.gov.uk/government/news/home-office-announces-first-wave-of-20000-police-officer-uplift

Surrey, which has only had a net reduction of eight frontline officers since 2010, will be able to recruit as many as 260 officers.  Essex, which has seen a net reduction of 535 in frontline officers since 2010 can recruit just 450 officers – a shortfall of 85.

Major metropolitan areas dealing with surging violence and knife crime will still be far short of the frontline officer levels they had in 2010.

Louise Haigh MP, Labour’s Shadow Policing Minister, said: “Boris Johnson thinks he can get away with misleading people, but this again shows he can’t be trusted to be honest and that his claims fall apart under scrutiny.

“The truth is the brutal cuts he and his colleagues voted for will not be reversed and our communities will continue to be less safe as a result.

“Labour will end austerity and properly invest in the police, youth services, our NHS and other public services to rebuild our communities.”