Strengthening the front line – Constabulary hits Gov target

• Gloucestershire could get more police as a bonus for passing a target set by the Government
• the Constabulary has recruited 164 new officers  during the last three years, eleven more than its allocation of the 20,000 targeted by the Government
• as a result, the Home Office has accepted a bid from the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for funding for a further 10 officers, taking the projected total to 174
• PCC Chris Nelson said, “People have told me they want to see more officers on their streets and that’s what I am delivering”
• Chief Constable Rod Hansen said, ““These recruitment targets were ambitious and challenging. To have attained them is, I believe, a testament to the high regard in which our Constabulary is held”.

Gloucestershire could get more police after becoming the latest force to reach its target as part of the Government’s recruitment drive. 

The Constabulary was charged with securing 153 new officers out of the Government’s proposed target of 20,000 more officers.

When the three year period closed at midnight on 31 March, the Constabulary had 164 new officers. Since then, the Home Office has accepted the Police and Crime Commissioner’s (PCC) bid for funding a further 10, taking the projected total by September 2023 to 174.

PCC Chris Nelson said, “Strengthening the front line was always one of my main objectives. People have told me they want to see more officers on their streets and that’s what I am delivering.

“The Constabulary is undergoing a major re-organisation at the moment, with the aim of providing the service people want, that enables them to tackle the crimes that matter to them the most, and be more visible in our communities.

“Gloucestershire now has its highest number of police officers in recent years. Once they are all fully trained, they will boost numbers dealing with the public and enable the Constabulary to focus on community issues as they arise, leading to more enforcement.

“We recently saw a number of concerted operations aimed at tackling drug related crime. It’s the sort of proactive policing that reassures the public, the police want to do, and I want to see. Officers will have more scope to do this sort of work, thanks to the extra numbers I’ve secured”.

To have attained 164 extra officers against a target of 153 is a testament to the high regard in which our Constabulary is held

Taking normal recruitment and the additional numbers through the Uplift programme into account, Gloucestershire’s recruitment has comprised 291 new police officers since the programme began, 4 officers re-joining and 68 officers transferring from other forces.

This calendar year alone, 53 student officers have begun training, including 23 who will complete the process and pass out later this month.

Chief Constable Rod Hansen said, “I am very pleased that we have succeeded in meeting our recruitment targets for three years in a row – this means we can provide an enhanced service to the public, in particular to victims and those at greatest risk of harm.

“These recruitment targets were ambitious and challenging, not least in a competitive labour market. To have attained 164 extra officers against a target of 153 is, I believe, a testament to the high regard in which our Constabulary is held.

“It means we are now eligible for some additional funding from the Home Office that will allow us to recruit some extra officers this year. We intend to use this significant boost to our numbers wisely, deploying officers to those areas where they are needed most based on a considered understanding of where demand and vulnerabilities are highest”.

Anyone interested in applying to join the Force onwards can register their interest on the Gloucestershire Police website www.gloucestershire.police.uk/careers

You can watch a video of Chris Nelson discussing the uplift here.