POLICE officer numbers in Warwickshire have topped 1,000 – the highest level for nearly a decade.
It follows Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe’s promise to put more bobbies on the beat in the county.
There are currently 98 new constables undergoing training in Warwick. It is the single largest number of new trainees to be put through their paces in the force’s 162-year history – beating the summer’s previous high of 70 student officers.
It comes as part of Mr Seccombe’s commitment to use council tax hikes to bolster frontline policing, creating 150 new officer posts and ensuring officers who move elsewhere or retire from the force were quickly replaced.
Since 2018, 227 Warwickshire Police officers as well as 26 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) have gone through their training.
Once the newest recruits have completed their training, they will go on to join patrol policing roles across the county, working alongside more experienced colleagues dealing with calls from and carrying out patrols.
Mr Seccombe said: “When I became commissioner about three-and-a-half years ago, there were about 800 officers in Warwickshire and now we have moved that up 1,000.
“It’s always been my aspiration to see Warwickshire Police brought back up to strength and it’s great news that we have been able to do this before the end of the year.
“Together with the additional officer numbers promised by the Government, I am sure that the public will start to see the difference that these extra boots on the ground will bring.
“It will see more people in place to respond to emergency and 101 calls, investigate crime and bolster our Safer Neighbourhood Teams, which I am sure will be very much welcomed by local communities.”
