Police numbers at record high

Tuesday, 2 March 2004 1:10 AM

The number of police officers in England and Wales is at all-time high of 138,000, according to Home Office figures.

Nearly 15,000 extra officers joined the force in the last three and a half years, the Home Office said, taking the number of police officers to its highest level since records began in 1921.

Year-on-year, nearly 6,000 extra police have signed up. In December, there were 138,155 police officers in England and Wales compared with 132,268 a year earlier.

Home Secretary David Blunkett said it was "vital" the Government made the best use of the increase to make "a real difference to quality of life in our communities."

"I want to build on the progress we have already made by redefining the relationship of the police with the people they serve, making them locally accountable and more responsive to local needs," he said

"Building trust and confidence is essential if we are to move to a position where communities are actively supporting and working with police to tackle crime and disorder in their neighbourhoods.

"So far we have committed £100 million to recruit community support officers, reduced bureaucracy and provided modern equipment and technology to free up officers."

Over 3,000 community support officers have been recruited to the force as of the end of February in 38 police forces.

The Home Office denies CSOs are police "on the cheap."

"They perform a separate but complementary role to police officers in patrolling streets and tackling anti-social behaviour," the Home Office said.

Mark Oaten, Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said the latest recruitment drive "must not end up pushing paper at headquarters or be wasted on Government targets.

"A visible police presence out on the streets is what the public deserve and must have."

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