Hampshire Police have been forced to cancel annual leave and rest days to support Operation Manifold, the security operation for Donald Trump’s three-day visit to the UK beginning on July 12. This decision has sparked backlash amid already stretched police resources.
The financially constrained Hampshire Constabulary is deploying a significant number of frontline officers to London, leaving the Hampshire area and the Isle of Wight severely understaffed. Over the past eight years, the force has lost approximately 2,000 officers during a period of rising crime, making these staffing reductions particularly challenging.
Remaining officers are now required to work double shifts and overtime, often with less than 48 hours’ notice for canceled leave. Officers from the Isle of Wight face additional difficulties, including ferry journeys to the mainland to cover duties left vacant by colleagues sent to London.
Despite local opposition labeling Trump as an “unwelcome visitor,” Hampshire officers are tasked with providing security during his stops at Chequers to meet then Prime Minister Theresa May, and at Windsor Castle for a royal audience with the Queen.
The Home Office is funding additional police forces borrowed from other regions to assist the Metropolitan Police in London. This support is critical as Britain prepares for a “Stop Trump” protest on July 13, expected to draw large crowds to Oxford Circus, Regent Street, and Trafalgar Square.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) acknowledged that large-scale operations necessitate lending officers between forces, making the cancellation of leave unavoidable. John Apter, chair of the Hampshire Police Federation, highlighted the strain on officers: “These are officers who’ve had their rest days cancelled, working extended hours and double shifts. They’re being pulled in from all over. This isn’t about extra police on the beat – it’s stretching an already thin blue line even thinner.”
Residents of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are left questioning whether their local safety is compromised during this costly and politically sensitive visit.
Originally published by UKNIP.
