Council leader Chris Robbins will meet Boris Johnson to ask for an additional 120 police officers for Waltham Forest

Cllr Robbins and his colleagues say a recent police report shows Waltham Forest is being “short-changed” compared to other areas in London.

Cllr Robbins plans to meet the Mayor of London to discuss the imbalance on Friday and he is also talking with the Home Office.

The Mayor is the Metropolitan Police Authority chairman, which is responsible for allocated police officers to the 32 London boroughs.

The council says it has 120 fewer officers than other parts of London to tackle serious crime like drug dealing and gang-related crime.

The authority is urging residents to support its campaign by signing a petition demanding the extra officers.

The campaign is being supported by Lib Dem group leader John Macklin and Conservative group leader Matt Davis.

It held an event to encourage residents to support them at The Arcade site off Hoe Street in Walthamstow, on Friday (October 3).

Cllr Robbins said: “The Olympics will attract a lot of organised crime. We don't want criminals thinking Waltham Forest is a soft touch.

“We want them to think Waltham Forest is a hard place to commit crime.”

He added: “If we can deal with the drugs and the gangs then a lot of the problems this borough is suffering will go away.”

To support the council's campaign visit walthamforest.gov.uk/backup