Police officers patrolling in Dorset (Image: Getty)

       Labour's plan to introduce 13,000 extra neighbourhood police officers will hit the fight against drug gangs and paedophiles, a policing leader has warned.

       Festus Akinbusoye, who is today revealing he is standing again to be Bedfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, said it must be chief constables – and local people – who decide where officers are deployed.

       And Mr Akinbusoye, who previously stood for Parliament in Mid Befordshire, said Sir Keir Starmer’s party believes it will win votes by “talking tough on policing”.

       Powered By

       00:00/01:01

       10

       10

       Mauricio Pochettino shares some team news ahead of Preston clash

       Share

       Next

       Stay

       The Conservative politician also blasted Mayor of London Sadiq Khan for constantly criticising frontline police officers.

       Labour wants to boost the number of PCSOs (Image: Getty)

       He told the Daily Express: “If you look in the small print of Labour’s plans, for 13,000 police officers, it is made up of 3,000 officers that have been ring fenced from the current upgrade programme, 4,000 would be PCSOs, 3,000 would be special constables and 3,000 officers will be recruited.

       “But in my area, in Bedfordshire, we are one of the most at risk of organised criminal gangs, with a global reach. Around ￡15m in drugs is trafficked through Bedfordshire every month.

       “Surveillance and firearms officers are very highly experienced police officers. If my Chief Constable is being told by the Home Secretary that you must divert these into neighbourhood policing, who will deal with the paedophiles, the organised criminal gangs?

       “It’s complete and utter madness. Neighbourhood policing is a different skill set to those who go after the organised criminal gangs.

       “It should be local people, in conjunction with the chief constable and the police and crime commissioner, who decide what the priorities are.”

       The Metropolitan Police will cut the number of murder detectives working in London despite the homicide rate climbing rapidly.

       Top detectives will instead be deployed to reinforce teams working on other crimes such as burglary and assault.

       A senior murder detective said: “The officers are telling us they are in danger of burning out and yet the top brass are telling us we need to make efficiencies.

       “The idea that there is any fat to trim within murder is crazy. If anything, we need more resources, not less.”

       Bedfordshire PCC Festus Akinbusoye (Image: Getty)

       Trending

       Mr Akinbusoye declared he wants to continue as Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner to protect the force’s budgets and continue progress cutting neighbourhood crimes such as burglaries.

       But he warned if Labour gets into power: “All we are going to see is a Home Secretary diverting resources away from where they are needed.

       “It will be a retrograde step. It will divert resources away from where they are needed.

       “It would put public safety in greater danger. I don’t think the public can have confidence in their flagship policy.”

       Mr Akinbusoye said Bedfordshire Police is retaining more officers than many other forces across the country.

       He said he believes this is because the force is well led.

       And he blasted London Mayor Mr Khan for constantly criticising police and questioning them in public.

       He said: “Policing is a very hierarchical environment. Officers follow the lead of their leaders.

       “When a police constable sees a police and crime commissioner saying the police are racist, they are being unfair in their use of stop and search without caveating it, it gives the impression of ‘why should I bother?’

       “They will be saying ‘I’m crap at my job’ when the commissioner has never been on the frontline.

       “It is so important for them to have confidence in my leadership.

       “The Mayor of London needs to understand that public confidence doesn’t have to come at the cost of police having confidence in their leaders.

       “You can have both.”

       DON'T MISS

       Powered by

       Labour should not intervene in every aspect of our lives, says Leo McKinstry

       19 Comments

       Fury as criminal gangs make ￡500m out of small boats crisis

       507 Comments

       Idris Elba to launch new campaign to end youth knife crime

       14 Comments

       Young UK girl 'gang raped' in Metaverse as police launch probe into dark new online world

       111 Comments

       Rishi's plea for party to "come together" on Rwanda bill

       791 Comments

       How your MP voted on Rwanda Bill as Rishi Sunak suffers major Tory MP rebellion

       58 Comments

       Eurozone nightmare as Germany's business model is now broken in 'big problem' for EU

       8 Comments

       World War Three alert sparked as UK set to challenge four powerhouses within five years

       94 Comments

       Rishi Sunak to deploy last-ditch secret weapon with career on knife-edge over crunch vote

       17 Comments

       Rwanda amendment: Rishi Sunak suffers blow as Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith quits

       693 Comments

       Rwanda amendment: Rishi Sunak suffers major Tory MP rebellion as 68 back hardline bill

       884 Comments

       Disaster for Rishi Sunak as pollster warns Tories are 'haemorrhaging' votes to Reform UK

       82 Comments

       Nadine Dorries launches furious three word attack on Rishi Sunak's Rwanda 'karma'

       19 Comments

       Brexiteer announces he will stand for Reform UK in by-election after 'selfish' Tory quit

       150 Comments

       James Cleverly warns Labour won't 'protect our streets' from crime

       35 Comments

       Met police cutting murder detectives despite skyrocketing homicide numbers

       35 Comments

       Apologies and anger follow Rochdale grooming report on systemic failures

       76 Comments

       What is going on with our virtue-signalling police? asks James Whale

       9 Comments

       Sadiq Khan has spent eight years dodging responsibility as crime soars, says Susan Hall

       84 Comments

       London braced for protest chaos today with thousands to take to streets in fury at Israel

       318 Comments

       Labour should not intervene in every aspect of our lives, says Leo McKinstry

       19 Comments

       Fury as criminal gangs make ￡500m out of small boats crisis

       507 Comments

       Idris Elba to launch new campaign to end youth knife crime

       14 Comments

       Young UK girl 'gang raped' in Metaverse as police launch probe into dark new online world

       111 Comments

       Rishi's plea for party to "come together" on Rwanda bill

       791 Comments

       How your MP voted on Rwanda Bill as Rishi Sunak suffers major Tory MP rebellion

       58 Comments

       Eurozone nightmare as Germany's business model is now broken in 'big problem' for EU

       8 Comments

       World War Three alert sparked as UK set to challenge four powerhouses within five years

       94 Comments

       Rishi Sunak to deploy last-ditch secret weapon with career on knife-edge over crunch vote

       17 Comments

       Rwanda amendment: Rishi Sunak suffers blow as Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith quits

       693 Comments

       Rwanda amendment: Rishi Sunak suffers major Tory MP rebellion as 68 back hardline bill

       884 Comments

       Disaster for Rishi Sunak as pollster warns Tories are 'haemorrhaging' votes to Reform UK

       82 Comments

       Nadine Dorries launches furious three word attack on Rishi Sunak's Rwanda 'karma'

       19 Comments

       Brexiteer announces he will stand for Reform UK in by-election after 'selfish' Tory quit

       150 Comments

       James Cleverly warns Labour won't 'protect our streets' from crime

       35 Comments

       Met police cutting murder detectives despite skyrocketing homicide numbers

       35 Comments

       Apologies and anger follow Rochdale grooming report on systemic failures

       76 Comments

       What is going on with our virtue-signalling police? asks James Whale

       9 Comments

       Sadiq Khan has spent eight years dodging responsibility as crime soars, says Susan Hall

       84 Comments

       London braced for protest chaos today with thousands to take to streets in fury at Israel

       318 Comments

       Labour should not intervene in every aspect of our lives, says Leo McKinstry

       19 Comments

       Fury as criminal gangs make ￡500m out of small boats crisis

       507 Comments

       Idris Elba to launch new campaign to end youth knife crime

       14 Comments

       Young UK girl 'gang raped' in Metaverse as police launch probe into dark new online world

       111 Comments

       Rishi's plea for party to "come together" on Rwanda bill

       791 Comments

       How your MP voted on Rwanda Bill as Rishi Sunak suffers major Tory MP rebellion

       58 Comments

       Eurozone nightmare as Germany's business model is now broken in 'big problem' for EU

       8 Comments

       Become an Express Premium member Support fearless journalism Read The Daily Express online, advert free Get super-fast page loading

       Start 30-day

       FREE trial

       Related articles Keir Starmer slammed for 'cosy deal with EU' on illegal immigrants Keir Starmer rows back on another leadership pledge in Laura Kuenssberg grilling Tories face 'worst election defeat since 1997' with Starmer set for huge win Labour calls for protection of alpacas, llamas, and deer in livestock export ban Lee Anderson's fury as Labour tries to 'indoctrinate' primary school children