CALL IN THE TROOPS
Military could be summoned to help solve knife crime crisis, Met Police boss says
Scotland Yard chief Cressida Dick said there is a link between officer numbers and levels of violent crime
TROOPS could be called in to solve London's knife crime epidemic, the country's top cop suggested today.
Met Police boss Cressida Dick refused to rule out asking for military help to deal with a recent wave of stabbings in the capital.
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And she sparked a public row with Theresa May as she insisted police cuts DO boost violence crime.
Just yesterday the Prime Minister claimed there is "no direct correlation" between bobbies on the beat and crime stats.
Mrs May's comments provoked a furious backlash as senior officers blamed the Government's austerity programme for fuelling crime numbers.
This year has seen a wave of tragic stab deaths - including the killing of 17-year-olds Jodie Chesney and Yousef Makki over the weekend.
Last night ex-minister Michael Fallon said: "In the end, if they haven't got enough officers... they can rely on the military to help."
Asked about the suggestion today, Ms Dick told LBC she "doesn't exclude" the possibility of calling in the troops.
There is some link between violent crime on the streets and police numbers, of course there is
Cressida Dick
Another senior politician, Labour's Vernon Coaker, said violent crime should be treated like terrorism with ministers taking personal responsibility.
Ms Dick drew a link between police funding and rising crime, saying: "If you went back in history you would see examples of when police officer numbers have gone down and crime has not necessarily risen at the same rate and in the same way.
"But in the last few years police officer numbers have gone down a lot, there's been a lot of other cuts in public services, there has been more demand for policing and therefore there must be something and I have consistently said that.
"I agree that there is some link between violent crime on the streets obviously and police numbers, of course there is and everybody would see that."
She said she was recruiting 3,000 more officers to the Met this year in a bid to end the crime epidemic.
Asked about the crisis yesterday, Mrs May said: "If you look at the figures what you see is there no direct correlation between certain crimes and police numbers."
At a Cabinet meeting this morning, Sajid Javid pushed for more cash for policing in the light of the crisis.
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Today critics claimed Ms Dick's comments prove the PM is "deluded" to deny a link between police funding and crime numbers.
Labour MP Wes Streeting blasted: "Her fingerprints may as well be on every crime scene. Thanks to her policies, there has never been a better time to be a criminal."
Public concern about knife crime has soared to new heights after the recent wave of fatal stabbings.
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PM Theresa May denies a fall in police numbers is behind a rise in knife crime
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