Sadiq Khan has unveiled a new election pledge to put around 1,300 extra neighbourhood police officers, PCSOs and special constables on the streets of London.
The Mayor of London made the pledge alongside shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper while out on patrol with officers from the Metropolitan Police in Earlsfield, south-west London.
The Labour incumbent said: “Keeping Londoners safe is my number one priority, being both tough on crime and tough on its complex causes.
“I’m delighted to announce that working with a new Labour government I’d put around an extra 1,300 police and community support officers on the beat in London.
“This comes alongside the record investment I’m already delivering in City Hall to keep Londoners safe.
“Under this Tory Government an unprecedented squeeze on Met resources has meant neighbourhood policing has disappeared from too many communities. Our hard-working officers have simply been stretched too thin.
“After more than a decade of Tory neglect, a return to proper neighbourhood policing would be at the heart of my third term as mayor.”
Mr Khan said that the additional officers would reduce crime and make sure victims of crime are properly supported.
He said neighbourhood policing will only be able to be restored “with a Labour government and a Labour mayor”, adding “that’s why 2024 is so important”.
Labour said that the additional officers “would considerably increase the Met’s ability to bear down on crime and would provide a significant boost to neighbourhood policing” in the wake of the Casey review finding the capital “no longer has a functioning neighbourhood policing service”.
Labour also said that “many” of the 500 new PCSOs Mr Khan pledged to fund last year have been recruited and since 2016, Mr Khan had “doubled the funding of the Met Police from City Hall compared to the previous mayor”.
It comes as the party previously pledged to recruit an extra 13,000 community police officers and PCSOs across the country to tackle knife crime and drug dealing if elected.
Ms Cooper said: “Labour has always been the champion of neighbourhood policing – local officers and PCSOs who know the community and work with them to prevent crime, catch criminals, and keep residents safe.
“But across the country after 14 years of Conservative Government neighbourhood policing has been heavily cut back. That’s why Sadiq’s plan to rebuild neighbourhood policing in the capital is so important – getting policing back into communities and rebuilding confidence.
“Already Sadiq has delivered more neighbourhood support to communities, including dedicated local officers. But we need to go further.
“London needs a Labour mayor and a Labour government to carry on the job. We can’t let more Tory chaos put that at risk. As home secretary, I will work with Sadiq to keep Londoners safe.”
Mr Khan previously branded the May election as a “clear two-horse race” between himself and the Conservative candidate, Susan Hall.
Ms Hall launched her mayoral election campaign with a promise to “listen to Londoners” and a heavy focus on what she described as the “unfair” expansion of the ultra-low emission zone (Ulez).
In previous contests, Londoners have been able to express a first and second preference, but this year’s election will be held under the first-past-the-post system, meaning voters will get only one vote each.
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