The Metropolitan Police plans to close half of its front desks, reducing them from 37 to 19 across London, breaking a prior commitment for 24/7 service in each borough. Budget shortfalls and downsizing have made it unsustainable to maintain all counters. Recent events resulted in warnings from Met Police chief Mark Rowley about future crime investigation choices if budgets are cut. The force faces challenges including declining trust among the public, particularly women, after incidents like the murder of Sarah Everard, leading to a strategy aimed at rebuilding relationships with communities.
The Metropolitan Police plans to close half the front desks at its stations to save money, reducing the number from 37 to 19 across London.
Given the Met's budget shortfall and shrinking size, it is no longer sustainable to keep all front counters open.
There are concerns about funding, with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper negotiating with the Treasury regarding her department's spending.
A key commitment in the Met's strategy was to have at least one 24/7 front counter in each of London's 32 boroughs to facilitate crime reporting.
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