BROMLEY’S top cop has asked the Met Police to keep the borough’s safer neighbourhood teams (SNT) as they are - despite plans to reduce the number of sergeants.

The Met has announced plans to reduce the number of SNT sergeants across the capital from 630, which is one per team, to 330 over the next two years as part of budget cuts.

However, Bromley’s borough commander Chief Superintendent Charles Griggs has submitted a proposal to Met chiefs to continue having a sergeant for each SNT.

Mr Griggs said: “My proposal for Bromley is to retain 22 sergeants on our 22 wards. That position has not changed. I would expect the impact of the cuts to be cushioned by the Olympics.”

Mayor of London Boris Johnson will submit a draft police budget to the London Assembly on February 10, followed by a final draft on February 23.

How this budget will break down for each individual borough, and how much Bromley will receive, is not expected to be announced until March.

A Met spokeswoman said: “The planning assumption for SNT is that there will be a reduction in supervision costs over the three year budget period.

“It is the current intention to reduce the supervision cost in SNT by £15m a year by 2013/14 by reducing the number of sergeants by 300, with 100 in 2011/12 and 200 in 2012/13.”

In a recent public consultation of 110 people in Bromley, 108 were in favour of maintaining a dedicated SNT with a sergeant for each ward.