Cheshire Police to recruit 100 new police officers

Cheshire Police are to recruit 100 new police officers, the police and crime commissioner has announced.

The force is in the process of cutting up to 700 posts to make savings of £34.5m by March.

John Dwyer, Cheshire police and crime commissioner, said he had asked senior officers to launch the recruitment campaign on 12 May.

He said he wanted to "raise the bar" and recruit 100 new officers to "police Cheshire effectively".

Mr Dwyer said he had set aside funding for 50 new recruits but with more natural wastage than anticipated the force could take on 100 new officers.

Cheshire Constabulary has about 1,900 police officers and 220 police community support officers and is responsible for policing nearly a million people.