Theresa May Cut Police Numbers By 20,000 Since 2010

As the United Kingdom prepares to go to the polls, the nation is on edge following deadly terrorist attacks in London and Manchester. Earlier this week, it was reported that the country has experienced a significant dent in police strength in recent years despite armed units swiftly killing all three London attackers just eight minutes after the first 999 call.

Under Theresa May's watch, police ranks have fallen by 20,000 since 2010. Back then, when May was home secretary, she agreed to a Treasury demand to cut police budgets by 18 percent. In the five years since, the number of police officers in England and Wales fell from a peak of 144,353 in 2009 to just 122,859 in 2016. Specialist armed units were also cut with their numbers falling from 6,786 in 2010 to 5,639 in 2016. Things took a turn in April 2016 when then Prime Minister David Cameron set £143m aside to recruit 1,500 more firearms officers by 2021.