Metropolitan Police Adjust Approach to Tag Breaches

Source reports published 25 Oct 2026, 5:21 am – 26 Oct 2026, 2:25 am AEST

The Metropolitan Police is reducing enforcement of offenders who breach their tag conditions due to resourcing pressures and early prisoner release. Notifications will only lead to arrest if risk or safeguarding concerns exist.

What happened

• The Metropolitan Police is altering its approach to managing offenders on electronic tags.
• Following the Government’s early release programme, which has placed thousands of offenders on licence with electronic monitoring, the force is experiencing a significant increase in tag breaches, with officers dealing with over 100 daily.
• A south London unit sergeant stated that insufficient police numbers are contributing to the problem.
• The police are reviewing breach notifications, but only pursuing arrests when risk or safeguarding concerns are present.
• The pilot aims to free up capacity for higher-risk enforcement and persistent offenders.
• The Met expects a more than 15 per cent reduction in breaches requiring a police response.
• Those considered most dangerous, including domestic abuse perpetrators, remain a priority.
• The Government defends the early release programme, citing inherited prison system issues and increased police funding to £18.5 billion.
• Restrictions zones and expanded electronic tagging are being implemented.
• The Met’s revised approach focuses on risk assessment rather than offender type, and the Government insists it will never jeopardise public safety.

Original reporting

• Sky News: Police to allow some offenders to breach curfews without arrest
  2026-10-24T19:21:00+00:00
• GB News: Metropolitan Police allowing tagged criminals who breach conditions to roam free
  2026-10-25T16:25:49+00:00