Jane Stevenson, MP for Wolverhampton North East, has welcomed news that 628 police officers have been recruited by West Midlands Police in the first year of PM Boris Johnson’s campaign to recruit 20,000 across the country by March 2023.
So far, 8,771 additional officers have been recruited across England and Wales. This means the Government’s target of recruiting 6,000 by March 2021 in the first year of the programme has been dramatically exceeded, with the halfway milestone likely to be reached within the coming weeks.
The addition of these new officers brings the total number of police across the West Midlands up to 7,319, meaning there are now more frontline officers on the streets of Wolverhampton to keep residents safe.
The new figures have also confirmed that every single force across England and Wales has met or exceed their recruitment targets. 139,000 people have applied to join the police since the start of the recruitment programme.
Analysis of diversity data shows that there are now 10,218 officers from a Black Asian and Minority Ethnic background – the highest number on record.
In addition to recruiting 20,000 additional police officers, the Government is supporting the police with the powers they need to crack down on crime, including through introducing the landmark Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill – which will give the police additional powers to get knives off the streets, a £636 million funding boost for police forces this year, and a new police covenant – to enhance support and protection for frontline police officers.
Jane said: “Getting more police officers on the streets of Wolverhampton has been one of my key priorities as MP for Wolverhampton North East, along with stopping the planned closure of Wednesfield Police Station. I’m delighted to see that the Government has delivered 628 extra police officers across the West Midlands.
“Each additional officer makes an enormous difference in helping to cut crime and keep people safe, and I know this is just the start of many more officers to come as we continue our drive to recruit 20,000 more police officers over the next two years.
“The Government is backing our police with the funding, powers and resources it needs to keep the public and our communities safe, so that everyone in Wolverhampton can live their lives free from the fear of crime.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “When I became Prime Minister, I made a commitment that we would recruit more police officers, cut crime and make your streets safer.
“In just one year, we have hired an extra 9,000 extra police officers, smashing our first-year target and putting us well on track to recruit the 20,000 new officers we promised.
“But we need Police and Crime Commissioners locally who can continue to work with the Government to recruit police officers and cut crime as we Build Back Safer from the pandemic, so I’d urge people up and down the country to vote for their local Conservative candidate on Thursday 6th May.”
Home Secretary Priti Patel MP said: “As Home Secretary, keeping you, your family and our country safe is my number one priority.
“One of the Government’s key promises was to put an extra 20,000 police officers on our streets, and I’m delighted that one year in we have surpassed expectations and already recruited nearly 9,000 additional police officers.
“Our police officers are the very best of us and I will continue to give them the resources and powers they need to keep us and our loved ones safe. But I need local Police and Crime Commissioners to work with me to get crime down as we emerge from the pandemic, so I’d urge everyone to vote for their local Conservative candidate on Thursday 6th May.”
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