Police have hit their target of recruiting an extra 20,000 officers. Figures out today show an uplift of 20,951, to make a total of 149,572 officers in England and Wales.
- Figures released today show that 600 extra police officers have been recruited to the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary as part of the Government’s manifesto pledge to put 20,000 more officers on the streets.
- Since the recruitment drive was launched in 2019, almost 21,000 new police officers in England and Wales have been recruited, according to the latest figures published.
- The additional police across Hampshire builds on the Government’s Beating Crime Plan and the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act – reducing crime, protecting victims and keeping our streets safe.
Hampshire & and Isle of Wight Constabulary have successfully recruited an additional 600 new officers to the force. As announced by the Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones, this is a net increase, over and above those who leave or retire.
This news comes as the Government reaches it's target of recruiting an extra 20,000 officers, with 149,572 bobbies now on the books (as of 31 March 2023) which is 3,542 higher than the previous peak in March 2010.
With the Beating Crime Plan, this will help deliver a safer Britain alongside record funding for our police, with a £17.2 billion policing budget for 2023/24. Similarly, the Police, Crime, Sentencing, and Courts Act is giving the police and courts the powers they need to tackle serious crime head on. The Government is also pushing ahead with plans to tackle violence against women, with the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, backed by £100 million in funding, to help make our streets and neighbourhoods safer for women and girls.
The crime survey figures to December 2022, shows that this is having an impact across the country, with crime data since 2010 showing that robberies are down 70%, burglaries are down 51%, violence is down 41%, vehicle theft is down 42% and overall crime is down 52%.
Commenting, Leo said:
"In 2019, I was elected on a Conservative Manifesto promising to recruit 20,000 additional police officers to tackle crime and protect our communities. Figures released today show that promise has been kept with 20,951 new officers in England and Wales.
"In Hampshire, our Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones has announced a net increase of 600 extra officers. These new officers will crack down on anti-social behaviour and help keep our streets safe."
“As Police Commissioner, increasing police numbers to keep you and your family safe has been my number one priority in my Police and Crime Plan, More Police Safer Streets, since being elected in May 2021.
“Since day one, the public told me they want to see more police and have safer streets and that’s why I increased the target for the force. I’m delighted to announce today the force has now surpassed the government’s target and recruited a net increase of 600 officers, which is over and above replacing those who leave or retire.
“It has been the largest recruitment drive the force has ever delivered. The new recruits I have met have been passionate and eager to start their careers catching criminals and making the streets safer; it is clear they have joined the job to keep communities safe from harm.
“These extra 600 are the first step. I have since announced another 50 will be recruited in the coming year as part of my 2023/24 budget plan. But I want to go further, I want to get to one thousand quickly as we possibly can.
“Both the Chief Constable and I are resolute in our mission to strengthen local policing teams who connect with their communities. As your Police and Crime Commissioner, I pledge, to the people who live across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, that I will spend every pound of public money on giving you more police, increased visibility and bringing criminals to justice quickly.”