POLICE are being drained from the borough to carry out anti-terrorism duties in central London, raising fears of inadequate cover.
Orpington MP John Horam grilled Home Secretary David Blunkett during Home Office questions in the House of Commons last week.
Mr Horam told News Shopper he is worried the eight or nine Bromley officers required each week for surveillance operations are a strain on local police resources.
The MP said: “The Home Secretary admitted it was a problem but he does not realise we are struggling for police numbers already.
“We currently have 418 police in the borough when we used to have 432 a year ago.” Mr Horam says police in the borough are already struggling to cope with problems closer to home.
He added: “There are not enough officers as it is to deal with anti-social behaviour and other pressing problems.” But the Home Secretary made it clear the anti-terrorism operations were essential and the burden had to be shared by forces across the capital.
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