Police Commissioner commits to maintaining officer numbers

As the latest crime figures showed an overall fall of 6.7 % in the force area, Tony Hogg has once again stressed that keeping officer numbers well above 3,000, instead of dropping to a proposed level of 2,810, is key to continuing this welcome downward trend.

A meeting this week of the PCC’s scrutiny body, the Police and Crime Panel, overwhelmingly gave support to Mr Hogg’s plan which sets out his policing priorities in tough economic times.

Mr Hogg said: “Community involvement and neighbourhood policing are absolutely central to what I want to achieve. If the number of officers had been allowed to fall to nearly 2,800 it would have left just 125 for neighbourhood policing in the entire force area by 2015. That would have had a serious impact and was unacceptable.”

“I have also made a commitment to recruit 200 new Specials over the next four years, and many rural and local communities will benefit from this.”

Mr Hogg also praised the role of Police Community Support officers.

“The established model for PCSO numbers is 360. Through good planning, and an anticipation that force recruitment would begin again, this number was built up to just over 400. Bringing many PCSO’s into the regular force benefits everybody, and I’m delighted that the valuable policing experience that they’ve already gained will be developed even further.”

When the recruitment process is completed the number of PCSO’s will drop back to the normal level of 360.

Mr Hogg said he was pleased with the progress made since being elected last November, but would never become complacent.

“Everyone has been given a boost by the latest crime figures, but this is very much work in progress and there are some areas that we need to focus on. I am also willing to see an increase in reported crime figures for sexual and domestic abuse if this means that victims feel more able to report incidents”.