London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan confirms Royal Parks unit will be disbanded – despite fierce opposition
The Metropolitan Police is set to axe 1,700 police officers, staff, and community support officers in response to a £260 million budget shortfall, it was revealed on Wednesday.
Scotland Yard says it has been forced to make “substantial tough choices” despite funding increases from both central and local government.
Amid rising violent crime, mobile phone thefts, and shoplifting across London, senior officers have warned that the “rapidly shrinking Met” must cut key services.
Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan announced a record £1.16 billion investment from City Hall into the “chronically underfunded” force, claiming this would help save 935 neighbourhood policing roles.
He also assured the public that emergency response teams – which Londoners rely on during crises – would remain untouched by the cuts.
However, Sir Sadiq confirmed that units protecting eight Royal Parks will be disbanded and merged into local ward policing, despite fierce opposition from councils, park authorities, and victims of crime.
Additionally, the Met’s Schools Policing Teams will be reduced, raising concerns about youth safety.
An appendix in the Met’s budget report on the Royal Parks decision states:
“There will be a significant reduction in visible policing within the parks and reduced local / specialist knowledge regarding events and legislation.”
Key units facing cuts
- Dogs Unit and Mounted Branch to be reduced by 7% and 25% respectively.
- MO7 Taskforce, which tackles moped and e-bike robberies and gang-related crime, to be cut by 55%.
- Cold case investigations, looking into historic crimes, to be reduced by 11%.
- Flying Squad, the elite anti-robbery unit, to be cut by 20%, potentially losing its firearms capability.
Front counters to see reduced hours
In addition to the staff reductions, the Met is planning to reduce the opening hours of police front counters, with only a few remaining accessible 24/7.
While most of the cuts will go ahead, an extra £32 million in funding allocated to the Met may allow for some reductions to be scaled back.
Metropolitan police statement
A Met spokeswoman said:
“We are very grateful for the additional funding we have received from the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime and the Home Office.
“While this new funding decreases our original funding gap from £450 million, it leaves us with a £260 million shortfall, and we will have to make substantial tough choices, reducing our size by over 1,700 officers, staff, and PCSOs.
“This places an extraordinary stretch on our dedicated men and women. The Commissioner is incredibly grateful and humbled by what they achieve with increased demand and a rapidly shrinking Met.
“Over the coming months, we will be working with the Home Office, Mayor, and MOPAC through the Spending Review to put the Met on a financial footing which enables a sustainable workforce plan.”
Mayor Khan: “The met was chronically underfunded”
Sir Sadiq Khan has placed the blame on previous government policies, arguing that cuts to policing in London were equivalent to over £1.1 billion in real terms.
“The previous government chronically underfunded the Met, making cuts to policing in London that were in real terms equivalent to more than £1.1 billion.
“This has left the Met in an extremely difficult financial situation.
“As Mayor, I’m committed to doing everything in my power to support the police.
“That’s why I’m announcing a record £1.16 billion annual investment in the police from City Hall.
“This historic increase will protect neighbourhood policing in our communities and significantly reduce the level of cuts the Met had been planning.”
More Read
Sir Sadiq also emphasised that despite these cuts, crime in London has reduced, with violence, knife crime involving young people, and burglary all down.
“However, tough decisions have been made to protect neighbourhood policing and I’m under no illusions about the challenges ahead.
“As Mayor, I will continue to work with the new government and the Met – ahead of the forthcoming spending review – to ensure the Met gets the sustainable funding it needs to help us to build a safer London for everyone.”
Public and political backlash
Critics argue that the cuts will leave Londoners more vulnerable at a time when crime rates remain high.
The decision to disband the Royal Parks police unit has drawn fierce backlash from local councils and victims of crime who fear a rise in antisocial behaviour, drug dealing, and assaults.
There is also growing concern about the reduction in mounted police and dog units, as these officers play a crucial role in crowd control, public order incidents, and major events.
The future of the met
With the UK’s largest police force shrinking due to financial constraints, questions remain about whether these cuts will impact public confidence and trust in policing.
As funding debates continue, Londoners will be watching closely to see whether further cuts or additional financial support from the government will be necessary to stabilise the Met in the coming years.
