Boris Johnson faces bumpy ride with police despite 20,000 pledge

Analysis: Senior officers are wary of the new prime minister's promise, and how much it would help the current threat

Mr Johnson's new home secretary Priti Patel will find it difficult to follow Sajid Javid, who won over police officers (AFP/Getty)

Boris Johnson may have hoped to win support with his pledge to recruit 20,000 police officers, but the early signs suggest a bumpy ride ahead for his relationship with the service.

While the announcement makes a catchy headline following years of government cuts to policing and rising crime, the detail remains unclear.

Police leaders have given the pledge a cautious welcome in principle, but questions are mounting over whether the target can be achieved within three years, and what effect the drive will have.