Thousands register interest in becoming Northumbria Police officers

Northumbria Police has seen an overwhelming response to its latest recruitment drive.
Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness with Chief Constable Winton Keenen Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness with Chief Constable Winton Keenen 
Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness with Chief Constable Winton Keenen 

More than 3,000 people registered interest in becoming a Northumbria Police officer after a Home Office announcement of plans to increase police numbers by 20,000 nationwide – including 185 currently being recruited in the Northumbria force area.

Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness is hoping to secure additional funding to recruit new police officers above and beyond the money the Government is providing, which she said was a small step towards repairing the damage caused by years of austerity.

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The force has lost more than 1,100 police officers over the past deacde.

In a paper presented to the force’s Northumbria Police and Crime Panel, she said: “In the first three months of the recruitment campaign Northumbria saw more than 3,000 people register their interest, with more than 1,000 of these going on to submit applications.

“I’m pleased to say the force has begun its biggest recruitment campaign since at least 2010. Austerity has seen the force lose more than 1,100 officers, as well as civilian staff that play their role in fighting crime.

“Repairing this damage will not be easy, and again, we will not see results overnight, but I’m heartened by the interest so far.”

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Applications have been received from a diverse range of backgrounds including ethnic minorities and rural communities. More than a third of applications were also from women.

The force is currently in the process of training 78 new officers and a further 80 are due to start this March, the Commissioner confirmed.

Ms McGuinness added: “I am of course pleased that we are finally starting to see increases in the number of police officers on our streets.

“But after a decade of austerity it is clear that replacing our 1,100 lost police officers will take time.

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“That’s why the Government needs to give us a solid financial footing and set out the full spending plan that will return all those lost posts.

“Simply handing out funding in dribs and drabs gives us no assurance we will get these new posts.”