Nottinghamshire Police reaches highest number of officers in a decade
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Home Office figures confirm the force has reached 2,224 officers – up by 245 (12.4 per cent) since October 2019 – and means it is well on track to meet its target to recruit more than 300 by 2022.
Police chiefs say the ranks have not been this high since March 2011 when there were 2,362 officers.
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Hide AdNow the force boasts dedicated Operation Reacher teams which disrupt criminal activity in every neighbourhood, while a second knife crime team has also been launched.
More than seven per cent of Nottinghamshire officers also come from a from black and minority ethnic background – up from 3.8 per cent at the start of the uplift programme in 2019.
Chief Constable Craig Guildford said: “The force continues to make huge strides forward. This is happening because of the huge amount of work my officers and staff have put into our recruitment processes, which includes a real longer term focus on community and youth engagement programmes, schools outreach, and positive action.
"I would like to place on record my thanks to everyone who has made this possible including my staff and all those members of the community who have helped us to achieve this.
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Hide Ad“It’s also a matter of great personal pride to me that more and more people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds look to Nottinghamshire Police not only as a potential employer, but also as an organisation they want to help develop and make stronger for the future.
“This is exactly what communities want, to have a more visible presence on the streets and I’m very happy that we are continuing to create local jobs for local people across Nottinghamshire.”
The Home Office announcement follows the news that crime in the county plummeted by more than a fifth over the last year.
Robberies, sexual offences, violence and other serious crime figures have all fallen significantly.
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Hide AdDrug offences have decreased by 9.9 per cent over all, while a major crackdown on suspected drug dealers has seen drug trafficking offences rise by 11.6 per cent.
Knife crime has also continued to fall thanks to a ‘huge team effort’ involving partners and the Violence Reduction Unit.