Police force to recruit 250 new officers in Notts

NOTTS Police is set to recruit 150 new police officers and 100 community support officers.

Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping announced his 2013-14 budget this week, making funds available to put more officers on the beat.

He plans for 150 police officers to be recruited in 2013-14, and 120 more every year until 2015.

In addition, 100 new PCSOs will be recruited from now until 2016.

Mr Tipping’s proposals will be presented to the Police and Crime Panel next Wednesday 6th February.

The amount of council tax paid towards policing will have to increase by 1.95 per cent - less than a penny per day - for Notts residents, to generate an extra £1 million towards the budget.

“This increase is reflective of the Government’s cut in funding and the unfair funding formula,” said Mr Tipping.

“We need to protect funding for policing, not just this year, but in the future, in order to fulfil our pledges and objectives.”

“We need to make sure that crime continues to fall in Nottinghamshire – and you can’t do that by cutting resources.”

Assistant Chief Officer for Resources, Margaret Monckton, said the new recruits would fill vacancies that were expected to appear by the end of this financial year and replace individuals who are expected to leave next year.

“Since the funding cuts were first applied we have delivered savings through a combination of restructuring, better procurement, rationalising the estate, fleet reduction and collaboration,” she said.

“The work we have done has enabled us to deliver performance at a lower cost but we have also been able to build up reserves to enable investment in the future.”

She said the new recruitment drive would help maintain and eventually expand the force over the coming years.

Mr Tipping added: “I pledged to put more officers into neighbourhood policing teams and I’m delighted that, in close consultation with Chief Constable Chris Eyre, I have been able to achieve sufficient savings to recruit 150 police officers next year.”

People continually tell me that this is what matters to them and I’m pleased that I have been able to meet my election pledges.”

To find out more about the Police and Crime Commissioner’s pledges visit www.nottinghamshire.pcc.px

Related topics: