The number of special officers on the streets of Hammersmith and Fulham and Kensington and Chelsea has dramatically fallen in three years.

The figures, put forward by the Labour London Assembly Member Murad Qureshi, says the drop comes of the back of falling police community support officers (PCSOs) and police officer numbers.

He said it leaves Mayor “Boris Johnson’s plans to ‘double the number of Special Officers to 10,000’ in complete tatters”.

Metropolitan Police figures showed that there are now 3,253 specials in the capital, 43% fewer than in May 2012 when he made the pledge.

There was also a 38% drop in Kensington and Chelsea and a 13% fall in Hammersmith and Fulham.

In Kensington and Chelsea, numbers fell from 143 in May 2012 to 88 in December 2015. This comes on top of significant PCSO cuts, with Met statistics showing that in the borough 126 PCSOs and 66 Police officers have been cut from the streets since 2010.

In Hammersmith and Fulham, the number of specials fell from 133 in May 2012 to 116 in December 2015. Met figures also showed 94 PCSOs and 101 Police officers have been cut from the borough’s streets, 27% of the original number, since 2010.

Frontline policing 'a priority'

Special constables are volunteer police officers with all the powers of police officers. In May 2012 when Mr Johnston was reelected London mayor there were 5,677 specials in London.

Mr Qureshi said: “In 2012 Boris recognised the significant role special constables play in providing an important link between the police and public and bolstering our police service. Despite his promise to double their ranks what we’ve actually seen is a dramatic and continuing fall in the number of special constables.

“With PCSO and police officer numbers also in decline, the falling number of specials should be of real concern.

“Boris looks set to leave a much reduced police force for his successor.”

In response to the figures, Stephen Greenhalgh, deputy mayor for policing and crime, said: “Frontline policing is a top priority for the Mayor and at a time when police numbers nationally have fallen, he has protected numbers in London at around 32,000 and put an additional 2,600 officers into neighbourhoods since 2012.

“In the face of significant financial pressures, the percentage of officers in visible frontline roles has increased substantially and the Mayor has maintained his commitment to of a minimum of one dedicated PC and one dedicated PCSO per ward.

“The Met has recruited 5000 officers in the last 3 years and many of these were special constables who have now moved from their volunteer roles into permanent jobs in the regular police force.

“The Met are actively seeking to recruit more specials and I would urge Londoners to apply to the variety of important and hugely rewarding voluntary roles on offer.”