Number of police reaches record high

Police staff numbers have reached record levels, according to new government figures.

For the first time ever, all groups across the police service – Police Officers, Special Constables, Community Support Officers (CSOs) and Police Staff – have seen an increase in staff numbers.

Police officer numbers are up by more than 2,000 since March 2004 to 141,230. The largest regional percentage increase was in West Yorkshire, where police officer numbers have increased by 7% (358 officers) in the 12 months to 31 March.

The number of Special Constables has increased by nearly 1,000 since March 2004 to 11,918. This is the first annual increase in Specials since 1992.

CSOs are up by nearly 2,800 to 6,214 and Police Staff are up by nearly 3,300 to 70,869.

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Home Office minister, Paul Goggins, said the government would maintain its commitment to funding the service to enable it ‘to continue to employ historically high numbers of police officers’.