Metropolitan Police chief has concerns over rapid hiring of officers

Sir Mark Rowley said he was considering the wisdom of recruiting thousands of new officers rapidly and at the same time

The head of the Met Police has said he is reviewing recruitment targets after wondering if it is "wise" to speedily hire thousands of new officers.

The force is expected to bring in 4,557 extra officers by the end of March as part of the government's aim of hiring 20,000 more across the country.

Thousands of jobs were cut during austerity measures from 2010.

Sir Mark Rowley told the London Assembly he was "concerned" about the speed of hiring new officers.

Thousands of jobs were cut from the Met during austerity measures from 2010

Speaking to the committee for the first time since being appointed as Met Commissioner on 12 September, Sir Mark said he was looking at whether the number was achievable and if new officers could be brought into the force "in a way that doesn't destabilise them".

"There's multiple factors there," he said.

"Just recruiting headlong, without making sure you're bringing the right people in, giving them the best start, the best training and an organisation that's able to support them and deploy them properly, all of those issues are important and I'm concerned about whether it's wise to go at exactly that speed and that's why I'm reviewing it."

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In June, inspectors from police watchdog His Majesty's Inspectorate of the Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) said problems at the Met had been exacerbated by the number of young and inexperienced recruits in the force.

It reiterated warnings that the "sheer magnitude and speed" of the campaign carried the risk that "people unsuited to policing may get through" the recruitment process.

Describing vetting as being of "enormous importance", Sir Mark said it was essential the monitoring of both new and ongoing members of the police workforce was of the highest standard.

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