Removing specialist police officers from London schools puts pupils at risk of “increased violence” and “gang exploitation”, teachers have warned.
Scotland Yard says it has been forced into “substantial tough choices” amid a £260 million budget shortfall.
Of 1,700 staff being axed, 371 safer schools officers will be transferred into neighbourhood policing teams next month.
However, in a letter obtained by Sky News, a group of 15 headteachers from secondary schools in north-east London wrote to the Metropolitan Police warning that without support “vulnerable students may become prey to exploitation and, in turn, perpetrators of crime”.
Some pupils told the broadcaster they were worried “more knives and drugs” would be brought in as a result.
Safer schools officers were introduced in 2009 and help de-escalate peer-on-peer conflict and prevent youth involvement in crime.
The letter’s author, Sam Jones, chair of The Waltham Forest Secondary Heads group, said teachers were “extremely concerned” about the withdrawal of safer school officers and they had not been consulted about the “very misguided” plan.
Mr Jones said: “We think that it will increase in violence, potentially increase bullying and weapons-related incidents.
“I think this is a huge backward step.”
Safer schools officers are a “key deterrent when it comes to gang recruitment and county lines issues,” he added.
“There will be more knives,” said student Tyrelle, 14, who attends the Footsteps Trust in London.
“There will be fighting, there will be drugs coming into school and no one will be there to actually stop it.
“If anything happens outside of school you can tell them [the safer school officer] and let them know.”
Another pupil, Mikolej, 15, said having an officer in their school had been a “good thing” that had helped young people “speak more to police officers outside of school”.
'School won't be a safe place anymore'
— Sky News (@SkyNews) April 9, 2025
Met police to remove hundreds of officers from schools. https://t.co/SDnVlYVrUI pic.twitter.com/t17JmXM6jx
Susan Hall, the Tory crime spokeswoman at City Hall, wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “This is disastrous for our schools and thus our children.
“Sadiq Khan is prepared to give ‘free’ school meals but can’t afford to give money to police to keep them safe.”
Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy echoed calls for the police force to think again, telling Sky News she hoped the force would “sit down with all of us so that we can work together on this”.
In a letter to headteachers, the Met said the changes will come into effect from May 2 and that the decision hadn’t been “made lightly”.
The force said the changes aimed to improve their presence in the community.
Commander Glen Pavelin, of the Met’s Frontline Policing, said: “Children should be able to travel to and from school and study without the fear of violence.
“This is where we know young people are most at risk of violence and gangs, and it is where our officers will continue to be, ensuring that they are able to quickly respond to any incidents or concerns in the community.
“Although officers will no longer be based in schools, they will join local policing teams where they will retain strong relationships with schools to ensure that any reports of knife crime can be dealt with quickly.
“Officers will also work with local organisations and other youth based establishments to safeguard young people, prevent victimisation and reduce crime and anti-social behaviour beyond schools.”
Amid an epidemic of violent crime, mobile phone snatches and shoplifting across London, senior officers warn the “rapidly shrinking Met” must slash services.
Units protecting eight Royal Parks will be disbanded and merged into local ward policing, despite fierce opposition from councils and victims.
