Boris is recruiting more police

Despite the fact that the murder rate in London is at a 38 year low and the capital is one of the world's safest big cities, the perception that police numbers are being cut still exists, as reported in yesterday's Evening Standard.

However, the Mayor's budget shows that there will actually be more police on the street this year than there were when he took office in 2008:

Police numbers in April 2008: 31,398

Police numbers in 2010-11: 32,510 (an increase of 1,112)

This budget allows recruitment of new officers to re-start before the end of this financial year, to increase actual numbers from the present level of 32,136 towards the establishment level of 32,510. There will be an additional £42 million invested in frontline services, via funding moved from buildings and vehicles to getting more fully warranted police officers on the street.