The latest crime statistics show the true scale of the challenge our officers now face - Abbott

Diane Abbott MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, speaking after the release of police workforce statistics, said:

“With over 20,000 officers lost since 2010, the Tories are risking public safety with these extreme cuts.

“They slashed police budgets in the last Parliament and are reducing funding even further now.

“The latest crime statistics show the true scale of the challenge our officers now face. This is the worst time to cut the police.”

Notes to editors:

• The latest workforce statistics from the Home Office show the number of police officers has fallen to 122,859 police officers, a loss of 20,875 between March 2010 and September 2016 (a 15 percent reduction). 
• In addition,  6,367 PSCOs have been lost between March 2010 and September 2016 (38 percent reduction) (Home Office, Police Workforce, England and Wales, September 2016, January 26^th 2017 – [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/585776/police-workforce-sep16-hosb0217.pdf]
• Central government funding to Police and Crime Commissioners reduced by £2.3 billion (25 percent) in real-terms between 2010-11 and 2015-16 (NAO, Financial sustainability of police forces in England and Wales, June 4^th 2015, [https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Financial-sustainability-of-police-forces.pdf]
• Despite pledging to protect spending on the police over this Parliament, HoC Library analysis showed that between 2015-16 and 2016-17 there would be a £30m cash reduction in central government funding to police forces, or £160m in real terms - equivalent to the average salary of 3,200 officers.