Police in London are facing a rising number of breaches of electronic tagging orders linked to the Government’s early prison release scheme, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has disclosed. According to Sir Mark, officers are dealing with more than 100 tag breaches daily, alongside arresting two to three individuals per week who have been freed under the early release framework.

The early release scheme, which recently saw 700 prisoners—including domestic abusers, stalkers, and violent offenders—freed from custody, is set to release around 4,500 additional offenders with progressively longer sentences over the next ten months. The Government has introduced a presumption that all prisoners released early should wear electronic tags, allowing probation officers to monitor their movements and enforce conditions such as curfews or area exclusions.

Sir Mark highlighted concerns that despite arrests being made for tag breaches, courts are frequently releasing offenders back into the community on bail under the same conditions, effectively limiting the consequences for those who violate their license terms. He stated that more than 95 percent of the tag breach cases result in offenders being re-bailed rather than returned to custody, a situation he describes as providing "zero sanction." This has caused frustration among police, who argue that stronger repercussions are needed to deter repeat offenses.

One example cited involves Michael Bogle, 38, who was sentenced to eight months in jail after engaging in a shoplifting spree just hours after his early release from prison. Incidents of this kind have increased pressure on police resources, as officers contend with the additional workload generated by monitoring tagged offenders and managing breaches.

Police chiefs from all 43 forces across England and Wales have called on the Government to allocate an additional £500 million to cover the extra costs associated with policing the early release scheme and enforcing electronic tagging conditions. They argue that without this funding, it will become increasingly challenging to maintain public safety and uphold law enforcement duties effectively.

The Justice Secretary, Alex Norris, has defended the Government’s approach, acknowledging the severe challenges within the prison system that prompted the early release policy. He emphasized the introduction of what the Government describes as the “toughest-ever controls” to manage offenders released on license. However, when questioned about how many offenders were actually tagged, he was unable to provide definitive figures, pointing instead to a "presumption of tagging" rather than a universal mandate.

The debate continues over whether electronic tagging effectively mitigates risks associated with early release or whether additional measures are required to ensure that offenders who breach their licenses face appropriate consequences. Meanwhile, police forces are grappling with the operational and financial implications of enforcing these conditions amid growing workloads.