MONDAY 19 AUGUST 2019Police pledge won’t undo
damage of austerity, senior
officers warn Johnson
Police numbers in England and Wales have fallen by more than 21,000 (PA)
LIZZIE DEARDEN
HOME AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT
Boris Johnson’s pledge to recruit 20,000 new police officers will fail to undo the damage caused by years of
Conservative budget cuts, senior officers have warned.
Analysis by The Independent suggests that more than 46,000 will have to be hired to meet the target and
replace officers leaving the service over the next three years.
Doubts have been raised over when such ambitious targets can be reached, with more than half of forces
failing to meet current recruitment targets.