WEST Mercia Police has gained an extra 220 police officers since September 2019.
In the run up to the last general election, the Government pledged an extra 20,000 officers across England and Wales and 11,053 of those have now been put in place as part of the Police Uplift Programme.
It is aimed at bringing down crime and keeping neighbourhoods safer.
Prior to the election, the Conservatives had come under fire after 21,500 officers were cut from forces across the UK between 2010 and 2018.
According to Home Office figures, by the end of September there had been an increase of 165 officers at West Mercia Police since the national programme began two years ago, with an additional 56 officers joining in October 2021.
The statistics also show increasing numbers of women joining forces up and down the country – with female officers accounting for 45 per cent of new recruits.
In West Mercia the number of women joining the force was 37 per cent.
The number of ethnic minorities joining the force has also increased and West Mercia now has its highest level in its history – at three per cent overall.
West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion has invested in increasing the workforce with more frontline officers and making policing more accessible and visible in local communities. Policing numbers are also set to increase further as West Mercia has just launched another drive for more officers.
Rachel Jones, Assistant Chief Constable at West Mercia Police, said: “The current recruitment campaign gives us a once in a generation opportunity to improve diversity in policing, as well as contributing to our highest number of officers in a decade.
“Our focus remains on attracting and retaining the best applicants from a range of backgrounds to serve the public.
“A substantial uplift in officer numbers like this gives us the ideal opportunity to increase the diversity of our workforce.
“A diverse set of professional skills is needed to be a police officer, and policing benefits greatly from individuals with socially diverse backgrounds and experiences.
“With a larger, more representative and diverse workforce, we know that we can be more effective in improving the public’s confidence and trust in policing and be a more inclusive force.”
