Cressida Dick says the army could perform “supplementary functions” to aid police efforts against the growing problem
The army could form part of the police’s push back against the problem of knife crime, according to Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick.
Dick addressed the notion made by former defence secretary Michael Fallon amid the national crisis that has seen several teenagers being stabbed to death across the country.
“[It’s] hard to imagine,” she told LBC on Tuesday. “I don’t exclude it, I really don’t.
“I think we all need to work together on this and if there are things that the military would offer for us then of course I would think about it, not to carry out policing functions but other supplementary functions.”
Prime minister Theresa May has dismissed the link between reductions in police numbers and a rise in knife crime, which the head of policing in London disagreed with.
“In the last few years, police officers numbers have gone down a lot,” added Dick. “There’s been a lot of cuts in other public services there’s been more demand for policing, and therefore there must be something. And I have constantly said that.
“I agree that there is some link between violent crime on the streets, obviously, and police numbers. Of course there is. And I think everybody would see that.
“That’s why I asked the year before last to get more money and to have more officers and was given a small amount. This last year I’ve been given more, so what I’m doing at the moment is recruiting.”
