Hampshire Police are under significant pressure as they cancel rest days and annual leave to provide security for US President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to the UK. The three-day trip to London, starting on July 12, is placing a heavy burden on an already financially stretched force.
Over the past eight years, Hampshire Police have lost approximately 2,000 officers while simultaneously dealing with a rise in local crime. Now, hundreds of officers are being redeployed to London, leaving Hampshire and the Isle of Wight critically understaffed.
The officers remaining in the county are required to work overtime shifts, often with less than 48 hours’ notice. Officers from the Isle of Wight must travel to the mainland to cover shortages, sacrificing their personal rest and family time.
John Apter, chairman of the Hampshire Police Federation, criticised these measures, stating: “These are officers who’ve had their rest days cancelled, they’re working extended hours, they’re working double shifts on some occasions, and they’re being pulled in from different areas. This is not about having extra police officers on the street, we simply are spreading the thin blue line even thinner.”
The Home Office has called on other police forces to support the Metropolitan Police in London during the high-profile visit. President Trump is scheduled to meet former Prime Minister Theresa May at Chequers and the Queen at Windsor Castle.
Meanwhile, anti-Trump protesters are preparing for a large demonstration on July 13. Thousands are expected to march along Oxford Circus and Regent Street, culminating in a rally at Trafalgar Square.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council has acknowledged the pressure on forces involved, stating: “With all operations of this nature, it is possible that some rest days and annual leave will be cancelled.” For Hampshire officers, this means working double shifts and losing vital downtime at a time when their communities require their full attention.
Originally published by UKNIP.
