- Sir Mark Rowley, the Met Police chief, has called for football clubs to contribute more towards the £70 million national cost of policing their matches.
- He advocates a "polluter pays approach," arguing that profit-making events requiring security should be funded by organisers, not local communities.
- Sir Mark also proposed overhauling the UK's 43-force policing system, suggesting a reduction to 12-15 larger regional forces to streamline costs and improve efficiency.
- These proposals come as the Met faces significant job losses, with 3,300 officers and staff cut over the last two years, and concerns about making ends meet with current funding.
- He highlighted that police are increasingly undertaking duties typically handled by other public services, diverting resources from core policing functions like law enforcement and catching criminals.
IN FULL
Met Police chief says football clubs should pay for their own policing
