The police

BBC Question Time: Recap and Factcheck

Question Time on 8 November came from Dulwich, London. topics covered included whether stop and search could be used to tackle knife crime, if the country could unite around a Brexit deal, and if burning a model of Grenfell Tower should be considered a crime.

BBC Question Time: Recap and Factcheck

Question Time on 1 November came from Clacton-on-Sea. Topics covered included income tax changes, austerity, early elections, policing priorities, and the impact on Brexit of the investigation into Arron Banks.

Police funding in England and Wales

Police funding fell from 2010/11 to 2015/16. An extra £460 million for 2018 largely comes from allowing PCCs to increase council tax.

Police officer numbers in England and Wales

The number of police officers has dropped by 20,000 since 2010.

The Princess and the PCs: What will policing Princess Eugenie’s wedding cost?

Local police will provide security for Princess Eugenie’s wedding. The cost is unconfirmed but reported estimates of £2 million seem in the right ballpark.

How many armed police are there?

There were just under 6,500 trained firearms officers in England and Wales in 2018. The number of operations involving firearms have increased compared to previous years.

Do a majority of Britons say the police have lost control of the streets?

Yes, but a majority of those polled also say they feel safe on their local streets.

Trump’s visit: what’s the cost?

We look at costs and other details of President Trump’s visit to the UK

Police budgets, numbers and community policing

Police budgets in England and Wales fell from 2010 to 2015 and central government funding is being cut in real terms over the course of this parliament. Police funding overall will be protected if local taxation for the police is maximised. Police numbers have decreased annually since 2010.

What happened to violent crime in London since 2008?

Under Boris Johnson’s time as mayor the murder rate halved, though we can’t say for sure whether the rise in stop and searches was effective.

Stop and search: higher arrest rate?

The number of stop and searches fell by 78% between 2009/10 and 2016/17, with the proportion leading to arrests rising from 8% to 17% in the same period.

How many stop and searches are knife crime related?

9% of successful stop and searches in London relate to possession of an offensive weapon, which includes knives, as well as other sharp weapons and acid.

Is London losing 3,000 police officers?

The Met Police expects to lose 3,000 officers by 2020, based on funding projections.

Have some police officers had a 32% pay rise?

Claims about police pay at PMQs aren’t likely to represent the experience of most officers.

Stops and searches are becoming less common

The use of stop and search powers across England and Wales has fallen significantly over the past few years.

Have armed police numbers been cut?

The number of armed police officers has fallen by about 700 since 2010, but numbers are currently on the rise.

Labour Manifesto: Police Officers

We've factchecked claims from Jeremy Corbyn's speech at the Labour party manifesto launch.

Police funding: up or down?

Are police budgets being cut? It depends which source of funding you count.

How many suspects are wanted by police?

We looked at how many people are wanted in relation to particular crimes in England and Wales.

Police officer numbers have fallen

The number of police officers has dropped by 19,000 since 2010.

How many police forces are rated good or outstanding?

While it's true that two thirds of police forces across England and Wales were rated good or outstanding in 2016, only one was outstanding. The other 28 were rated good.

Fewer police cells are being used to hold people with mental health problems

Police cells are being used less often as a ‘place of safety’ under the Mental Health Act.

Police numbers: back to the 1970s?

It's claimed spending cuts could mean 22,000 fewer police officers in England and Wales. Would that put police numbers at their lowest since the 1970s?