Cambridgeshire police numbers up after recruitment drive

New officers were recruited as part of a government campaign to increase the numbers of police on the streets

Cambridgeshire Police said it was one of the first forces in the country to meet its target of recruiting new officers.

A government campaign to recruit 20,000 officers nationally was launched in September 2019.

The Cambridgeshire force was given a target of finding 206 extra police officers.

It said it had reached the target and now employed 1,756 officers, compared to 1,526 when the campaign began.

A spokesman said: "This target meant that over the three years we needed to recruit 206 officers more than those that left - and that's what we've done - and actually exceeded it by 24.

"In that time we've needed to recruit 500 officers to do this and we are continuing to recruit to maintain this level."

The force said it had also increased the number of women officers by 5% in the past five years, meaning that 35% of officers were now female.

Officers from ethnic minority backgrounds have also gone up, making up 4.8% of the workforce - an increase of 1.5% in the past five years.

Chief Constable Nick Dean said: "It is great news for the force and the people of Cambridgeshire that we have hit our uplift target.

"These extra officers are already contributing towards an enhanced policing service for the public and I have been delighted to hear about the positive effect they have been having."