Premier League football clubs must pay more for policing outside games, says former Met chief Lord Hogan Howe

24 January 2024, 19:40 | Updated: 24 January 2024, 23:42

Met chief Lord Hogan Howe said clubs should pay more for policing
Met chief Lord Hogan Howe said clubs should pay more for policing. Picture: Alamy

By Emma Soteriou

Top flight football clubs must pay more for policing outside games, former Met chief Lord Hogan Howe has said.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Lord Hogan Howe said Premier League clubs should be paying more towards policing as they can afford it.

It comes after Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley told LBC policing football matches cost the force £18.5 million in 2023.

Clubs currently only pay for officers who go into the ground, with surrounding areas and stations being policed by the Met.

"The easiest way to resolve it is to make the clubs pay for policing which is not at the grounds," Lord Hogan Howe said.

"I would target the Premiership. Charlton, Leyton Orient and a few others are probably going to be put out of business if we put too much of the public cost of policing [on them].

"But the Premiership pay £100 million for a player, they have the money available.

"It's the rest of us that are picking up the bill. I would target the Premiership and change the rules so they have to pay for what's not at the ground."

LBC Views: Met Police chief is right to put the boot into the Premier League, writes Henry Riley

Read more: Michael Owen says he’d ‘give his eyes’ to son James if he could as he’s left blind from incurable condition

Lord Hogan Howe on top flight football clubs paying more for policing

Former Home Secretary Priti Patel echoed calls for clubs to pay more, saying: "I think the clubs do need to stump up more and contributing more to the policing.

"As we know, these events can get out of hand, and there can be criminality taking place and then the police just get dumped on and have to pick up all the pieces.

"So I would like to see a more proportionate engagement and better funding in this whole area."

Lord Carlile, who is the former Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, suggested there be a contract between police and football clubs.

"Most of the trouble that occurs at football grounds is not cause by the football clubs," he said.

"There is a case for having a contract between football clubs and the police where certain items are included like ordinary public order policing, but where there are special issues that need to be policed at extra cost.

"There's no reason why the football clubs should not be asked to pay a reasonable amount for it."

Lord Carlile on top flight football clubs paying more for policing

Speaking during Call the Commissioner last week, Sir Mark said: "Last year, 2023, policing football in London cost us £18.5 million, that the Premier League don't pay for.

“If you wanted to help the police out with people paying for the policing they draw out of communities, that'd be a more powerful example.

“Arsenal, Chelsea and the others do not pay for our officers on the street.

“There's a very narrow legal framework, which says that they only pay for the officers who go into the ground.

“All of those officers managing stuff around the ground come out of our budget.

“There are very few officers in the grounds.

“But all the ones outside on horses, all dealing with disorder before and afterwards, around train stations, etc, that adds up to £18.5million last year, not paid for.”

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Port de Sóller

Spanish holiday hotspot introduces 'resident-only' zones - here's how the 'nightmare' policy will impact tourists

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa likely died around the same time, fire chief confirms

Breaking
Lesma-Rose Wibier

Girl, 4, who died in suspected arson attack in Manchester pictured for the first time

Exclusive
Any deal with Russia may take time Ukraine doesn't have, the former PM of Ukraine has warned.

Peace deal with Russia will 'take time' that Ukraine might not have, former Ukrainian PM warns

Exclusive
Jonathan Hall KC won't recommend changing definition of terrorism in wake of Southport attacks

Terrorism definition should not be broadened in wake of Southport attacks, says independent terror legislation reviewer

Richard Tice speaking to LBC in Glasgow.

John Swinney branded 'jealous juvenile' by Reform UK

Exclusive
The independent reviewer of terror legislation has backed calls for social media to be banned for under 16s

UK's terror watchdog says calls to ban social media for under-16s 'have merit'

Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the UK Andrei Kelin

Russia wants a 'quick peace' in Ukraine, ambassador claims as he accuses UK of prolonging war

Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff with David Hasselhoff

David Hasselhoff's ex-wife Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff found dead after 'taking her own life' aged 62

Kyle Clifford has been found guilty of rape after admitting killing the family.

Crocodile tears: Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford sobs as he refuses to speak to police 28 times after triple murder

President Zelenskyy thanked European leaders for their support

'We don't feel alone': Zelenskyy thanks European leaders following emergency defence summit

Kyle Clifford has been found guilty of rape after admitting killing the family

Crossbow killer guilty of raping ex 'in sexual act of spite' during triple murder of racing commentator's family

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she will be writing to the Sentencing Council to 'register her displeasure' following criticism from shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick.

Justice Secretary calls for controversial 'two-tier' sentencing rules to be 'reconsidered' as she threatens law change

Poppy Atkinson

First pictures of 'football-mad' girl, 10, killed by car on football pitch in Cumbria, as family pay tribute

The brother of Olympic breakdancer Rachel “Raygun” Gunn has been charged after dealing with proceeds from an alleged fraud syndicate

Brother of viral Olympic breakdancer 'Raygun' charged over involvement in $100K crypto fraud

The unnamed French man, identified only as a Parisian in his twenties, is facing a criminal investigation after hurling the ice rock at the elderly man.

WATCH: Moment skier hurls giant snowball from chairlift injuring granddad below- as prankster faces jail