Britain’s former counter-terrorism chief says community-based intelligence has been lost as result of cuts to policing budget

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Government cuts to police funding have damaged attempts to prevent attacks, Britain’s former counter-terrorism chief has said.

Robert Quick, who led the counter-terrorism effort from 2008 to 2009, told the Guardian that intelligence from communities about people supporting violent jihad had been lost.

Quick, who served as Scotland Yard’s assistant commissioner in charge of the counter-terrorism command, said: “Counter-terrorism funding is ringfenced but cuts to the general policing budget has impacted on neighbourhood policing teams in many parts of the country including London.



“This has reduced the capacity of the police to work in communities building relationships and trust to in turn generate community-based intelligence about persons of concern.”

Labour has said the Conservative decision to cut police numbers since 2010 has left Britain vulnerable.

There have been two terrorist attacks since the general election campaign began, with the Manchester Arena attack killing 22 people and Saturday’s attack on London killing seven. The atrocities have catapulted security and policing to the top of the agenda as the cuts were made during Theresa May’s six years as home secretary, before she became prime minister.

Serving police chiefs have also said cuts to police funding since the Conservatives took power in 2010 have caused damage, with one saying: “Austerity has increased the risk.”

Another said the reduction in neighbourhood policing had resulted in “less community interactions and intelligence”, with policing becoming “less preventative”.

Andy Trotter, former chief constable of British Transport Police, said community policing had suffered as police leaders tried to balance budgets. He said: “Community policing has been eroded over the last few years to supply the resources to reactive policing, major crime, public order and counter-terrorism.”

Furthermore, as other public services were cut, demands on police have increased on issues such as dealing with those with mental health problems.

Trotter said: “The police have become the public service of last resort.”

The Metropolitan police, which covers London, assessed by security officials at most risk of attack, says it needs to make £400m in savings to meet a budget shortfall by 2020.

The Home Office wants to reform the way it works out how much money it gives the 43 forces in England and Wales. The Met and other forces covering Britain’s major cities fear that will mean they lose tens of millions of pounds more, which will be redistributed to forces covering more rural areas.

The Conservatives believed they could reform the police, reduce the money spent, and cut crime. They argued they could keep the public safe and deliver better value for the taxpayer.

On Monday, with Labour attacking her record on cuts, May said: “Cressida Dick [Met police commissioner] has said that the Metropolitan police are well-resourced – and they are. She has said they have very powerful counter-terrorism capabilities – and they do.

“We have protected counter-terrorism policing budgets. We have funded an uplift in the number of armed police officers.” The Conservative leader added that since 2015 police budgets had been protected.

May added: “It is also about the powers you give to the police and I have been responsible for giving the police extra powers to deal with terrorism.” She said the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, had opposed these powers while a backbencher.