Met Police to ignore minor electronic tag breaches

The Metropolitan Police is scaling back its response to certain low-level electronic tag breaches as part of a pilot scheme running until spring. Under the new approach, officers will not routinely act on curfew breaches or tag battery failures lasting less than an hour, unless the offender is deemed a public risk. The force is dealing with more than 100 electronic tag breaches daily and anticipates this change will reduce the number of incidents requiring police action by over 15 percent.

Prioritising Serious Cases

This adjustment comes amid mounting pressures on police resources. The Met is experiencing increased demands, partly due to the government's early prisoner release programme, which has led to more offenders being monitored within the community under licence conditions. Police will continue to review all breach notifications, but cases will only be escalated for potential arrest if there are safeguarding concerns, an increased risk to the public, or evidence of repeated offending. High-risk offenders, such as those convicted of domestic abuse, will continue to be prioritised for enforcement.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson stated that the force is examining whether alternative consequences can be used for lower-level cases. This would allow officers to concentrate their efforts where they can have the greatest impact. The spokesperson added, "Where offenders have briefly stepped outside for a cigarette, or police are notified 19 hours later that they were 15 minutes late returning home, tying up several officers for hours is not the best use of resources." The pilot aims to test whether a more targeted, risk-based approach can alleviate strain on the police force without compromising public safety.

Context of Officer Shortages

The strain on police resources has been a subject of concern, with Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley previously highlighting the pressures created by early prisoner releases. Police sources have indicated that some breaches may have innocent explanations, such as offenders attending hospital emergencies. Delays in reporting breaches can also mean officers are alerted many hours after an incident has occurred. The government has defended its broader policies, stating that it inherited a prison system described as "on the brink of collapse" and that inaction would have posed significant risks to the criminal justice system.