A LEADING Metropolitan Police officer has acknowledged there is a problem with police numbers in Waltham Forest, according to council leader Chris Robbins.

Cllr Robbins fears criminals may see Waltham Forest as a “soft touch” in the run up to the Olympics because of the low numbers of police in the borough.

He requested a crisis meeting with the Met Police and on Wednesday Deputy Assistant Commissioner Lynne Owens visited Cllr Robbins at the town hall.

Cllr Robbins said: “The meeting was very useful and hopefully it will be the beginning of a process to alter the situation.

“They [the Met] recognise there are issues with our police numbers.”

Although Cllr Robbins did not secure a firm guarantee that police numbers will increase, he said he was “very happy” with the discussions.

Because Waltham Forest is classed as outer London, the borough currently has just 562 police officers, compared to 768 in neighbouring Newham, 761 in Hackney and 778 in Tower Hamlets – this is despite similar populations and crime profiles.

Reported crime rose in Waltham Forest by 3.9 per cent last year, an extra 1,012 crimes, compared to a drop in reported crime in Newham, Hackney and Tower Hamlets.