Police were ‘consulted’ over early prison release scheme, says Ministry of Justice

"Shabana Mahmood has clashed with senior UK police figures over plans to release thousands of offenders into the community instead of jail, amid growing concerns that this approach will overwhelm already stretched police forces already strained by years of austerity. The Ministry of Justice claimed it had consulted with the Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, but he expressed skepticism about the plan, warning it could pose a significant risk to public safety. As Mahmood takes drastic measures to address prison overcrowding, police sources have warned that these changes could exacerbate an already challenging situation for understaffed forces."