The Police and Crime Committee met on Tuesday 24 March 2026 to discuss the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime's (MOPAC) monthly report, the Metropolitan Police Service's (MPS) workforce planning, and the work programme of the committee. Key discussions included the operational independence of the police, the closure of front counters, cuts to the Mounted Branch, and the use of technology in misconduct investigations. The committee also considered a proposal for a rapporteur investigation into the recruitment and retention of Metropolitan police officers.

Operational Independence and Front Counter Closures

A significant portion of the meeting focused on the distinction between political oversight and operational independence within the MPS. Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Kaya Comer-Schwartz, and Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist KPM, explained that while elected bodies like MOPAC set strategic priorities and budgets, day-to-day policing decisions remain with the Commissioner and chief officers. This principle was central to the discussion around the closure of police front counters.

AC Twist stated that front counter closures were an operational decision driven by the need to reallocate officers to neighbourhood policing and response teams, citing a significant decline in in-person crime reporting. He explained that the MPS had to make tough choices due to a £260 million budget gap, which necessitated saving £7 million annually from front counter operations.¹

Assembly Members, particularly Emma Best AM and Alex Wilson AM, questioned the classification of front counter closures as purely operational, highlighting past instances where such decisions were made jointly with MOPAC and questioning the consistency of this stance, especially in light of the Mayor's manifesto pledge to keep front counters open. Deputy Mayor Comer-Schwartz maintained that while MOPAC holds the MPS to account and influences budget allocation, the operational decision on where officers are deployed rests with the MPS.²

Cuts to the Mounted Branch

The committee also discussed the planned reduction in the MPS's Mounted Branch, which involves a decrease in officers, staff, and horses, aiming to save approximately £3 million annually. AC Twist explained that this decision was a consequence of financial realities and operational demand analysis, forming part of the tough choices made to address the budget deficit.³ He assured the committee that the MPS would still maintain the largest mounted contingent in the country and would be able to meet its public order commitments, with 55% of its mounted demand relating to such operations.⁴ Concerns were raised about the welfare of horses being moved on, with AC Twist confirming that no horses would be harmed and that those retired would be fully supported.⁵

Workforce Planning and Recruitment

The discussion on workforce planning revealed that the MPS has strengthened its strategic workforce planning capabilities to better align recruitment, deployment, and retention decisions with future demand and budget constraints.⁶ AC Twist acknowledged that planning on a one-year financial horizon is challenging and that a three-year cycle would be more beneficial for strategic decision-making.⁷ The committee also explored the barriers to recruitment and retention, including the cost of living in London, the impact of public confidence in policing, and officer morale.⁸

Officer Misconduct and Investigations

The meeting addressed the increase in internal reporting of misconduct, which has trebled. AC Twist stated that this rise reflects increased confidence among officers that action will be taken, rather than necessarily an increase in the prevalence of misconduct.⁹ However, concerns were raised about potential disproportionality in how misconduct cases are handled, with reference to reports by Baroness Casey and Dr Shereen Daniels, which suggested that white officers might be dealt with less harshly than Black or Asian officers.¹⁰ The MPS is implementing a new model to address this, including an enterprise data observatory to identify patterns and deploy targeted interventions.¹¹

The use of Palantir software to analyse officer data for potential misconduct was also discussed. Lord Bailey of Paddington AM expressed concerns about the guilty until proven innocent implication of such technology, while Deputy Mayor Comer-Schwartz emphasised the need for a human feedback loop and that the software is part of a pilot to identify risks and provide support.¹² The issue of lengthy misconduct investigations was also highlighted, with AC Twist confirming that efforts are underway to speed up the process by increasing the number of hearing chairs.¹³

Rapporteur Investigation into Recruitment and Retention

A supplementary agenda item proposed the appointment of Emma Best AM as a rapporteur to conduct an investigation into the recruitment and retention of Metropolitan police officers. The terms of reference for this investigation include analysing trends, identifying barriers, assessing officer morale and wellbeing, and exploring MOPAC's monitoring and support for these efforts.¹⁴ The committee was asked to recommend this appointment to the GLA Oversight Committee.