Number of Met Police officers on long-term sick doubles after knife crime surge

Figures show that the number of Met staff on long-term sick leave has nearly doubled in the past four years
Anthony Devlin/PA
Justin Davenport28 May 2019
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The number of Met officers on sick leave is soaring as a police leader warns that they are dealing with a “war zone” on London’s streets.

Figures show that the number of Met staff on long-term sick leave has nearly doubled in the past four years. In 2014, 1,399 officers and staff were recorded as off sick for more than a month, rising to 2,731 in 2018.

Ken Marsh, chairman of the Met Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, said: “There has been an increase in long-term sickness, rather than short-term sick leave.

“Officers are facing more traumatic situations than ever faced before. They are regularly being called to serious stabbings and are the first to attend. You can equate it to a war zone.

“They have to deal with these situations and then before they can recover, they are back out there again.”

He said there had been a big rise in the number of officers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues.

The figures, obtained by the London Assembly Tory group, emerged as police have faced record levels of knife crime.

Mr Marsh added: “I cannot think of any other employment where people have to work the sort of hours that my colleagues have to, and they have no choice over this. We need more officers, they are constantly having to cancel rest days.”

The figures show that the number of officers recorded as sick rose under the last years of Boris Johnson’s term as mayor, as well as during Sadiq Khan’s first two years in the post.

Steve O’Connell, the Conservative London Assembly spokesman for police and crime, said: “London is fortunate enough to be served by thousands of world-class police officers who regularly put themselves in harm’s way to keep others safe.

“But these escalating sickness rates show that we are not sufficiently looking after them or giving them the support they deserve. This failure means fewer cops on the streets, making Londoners more susceptible to crime.

“The reduction in police numbers has put officers under increasing pressure and taken a toll on both wellbeing and morale.”

He claimed that Mr Khan could recruit hundreds more officers by cutting “waste” at City Hall.

A spokesman for the Mayor blamed “crippling” funding cuts which had resulted in officer numbers in London dropping to below 30,000 for the first time since 2003.

He said Mr Khan was “doing everything within his power” to support police “including funding the Met’s Violent Crime Taskforce”.

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