The Met Police Commissioner has warned that the country is in a "dangerous place" if prison capacity is prioritised over the threats criminals pose. Sir Mark Rowley's comments come as thousands of inmates are expected to be released early under a controversial scheme to tackle overcrowding.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham launched a review of the scheme after outrage that rapists and "serious" child sex offenders could be let out. These offenders have now been exempted.
Sir Mark Rowley's concerns
Speaking to LBC, Sir Mark Rowley said: "I think it's good that, from what I've heard, the Prime Minister is reflecting on the current policy about the justice system. They inherited a very difficult situation. I don't think he's got easy decisions."
He added: "I don't want to pretend this is easy, but I think we're in a dangerous place if the justice system is tipping towards making more decisions based on resources available than they are based on the risk that offenders pose to communities."
PC Andrew Harper case
The Government has so far resisted pressure to exempt two of PC Andrew Harper's killers from early release. PC Harper died after being dragged down a country road by a car as the three killers fled the scene of a quad bike theft in 2019.
Sir Mark said: "Officers go out day in and day out to protect communities. They need the sense that the law is behind them when they're assaulted, when they take these risks, and in the most tragic circumstances— this is PC Andrew Harper, where his life was lost while protecting the public."
He continued: "On top of that, what this means for his family and the campaign they've done - they've shown extraordinary dignity in terms of what they've, what they've sought to do. To then have the offenders released early is obviously particularly upsetting for them, but police officers see it as a message of a sort of a lack of support from the justice system. I don't think that's good."
Prime Minister's response
The Prime Minister has said he wanted to "go further" with the exemptions after ordering a review of the scheme, but this was "not possible without the prison system reaching capacity and collapsing".
