“Why Saying ‘Police Can’t Be Bothered’ is Complete Nonsense.

“Police can’t be bothered to attend.” Really? Let’s unpack that.

Police officers are one of the most scrutinised professions in the country. They’re not sitting around refusing to help when someone calls for assistance. The vast majority join the service because they want to make a difference in their communities. Responding to calls for help is exactly why they’re there.

Being pushed to respond to what is commonly known as “hurty words” on social media is not what they joined for. There was a time, once, when we had sufficient, well paid police officers who would attend all calls immediately. Now, as shocking as it seems, contact centres sometimes make appointments for police to attend the day after. This is as frustrating for police officers as it is for our community. Ten years ago the thought of a teenage girl being robbed at knife point was already shocking, and now, not only do the police not respond straight away, but sometimes arrive the day after. Again, ask yourself, is this what officers want? No of course not.

We have fewer officers than a few years ago. Government statistics show that in March 2025 there were about 146,442 full-time equivalent police officers in England and Wales, down on the previous year after years of intense resource pressures and workforce changes. In London, budgets and staffing pressures are so severe that reports have warned the Met may need to lose thousands of posts simply to balance its finances.

Officers respond to record-breaking numbers of calls every single day. But demand far outstrips resources. The list of urgent responses needing immediate attention always outweighs those classed as less urgent. If suspects have left the scene, the call is classified as lower priority, not because officers don’t care, but because they must prioritise real-time danger to life and serious harm first. That is responsible policing.

And when a local safer neighbourhood team is off duty? Who covers that patch? It really can come down to sheer luck, not lack of dedication. Officers are shifted around constantly to plug gaps, protect vulnerable people, tackle serious crime and keep you safe.

The truth is the officers we do have are working incredibly hard on our streets, often without the staffing, vehicles or infrastructure they once had. They want to fight and prevent crime. They want to be there for you. But resources are far and few between.

London’s force has some of the most dedicated coppers anywhere, people who genuinely want to make a difference and do make a difference every day. Saying “police can’t be bothered” is simply nonsense and deeply unfair to the rank and file officers doing their best in extremely challenging conditions.

Our police force should be properly funded, simple as that. Officers warned years ago that cuts would leave communities stretched and vulnerable. Now we are seeing that warning play out. But that is not a reflection of apathy, it is a call for the support they deserve.

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