Give us back our cops: A North-South divide in police recruitment?

Northumbria's Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness has challenged the Home Secretary over recruitment figures which show some Southern forces pushing past 2010 police officer levels, while others are being held back by limited Government funds.

During the first decade of Government austerity, Northumbria Police lost more than 1,100 officers as a result of Home Office cuts. A new Government-funded recruitment campaign was set up to replace these nationally, but Northumbria police was only allocated the funds for a maximum of 615 additional recruits.

While Northumbria Police has 12 per cent fewer officers than it did in 2010, it emerged this week that some forces, noticeably those in the south of England, are now boasting of having higher overall numbers than they had at the start of 2010.

It was reported last week that there are now more Essex Police officers than at any other time in the force’s 182-year history. Elsewhere in the south, Cambridgeshire Police also celebrated having more officers than ever before.

Overall figures reveal the North East, has been the hardest hit region, with 15% fewer officers than 2010, which compares to a national difference of 7%.

Combined, North East and North West forces have 9.8% fewer officers than 2010, whilst the South East & South West forces have only 0.8% fewer – a staggering difference and alarming evidence of regional discrepancy, according to Kim McGuinness.

She called on the Home Secretary to explain this emerging North-South divide in police funding during a high-level policing conference attended by chief constables from across the country.

In a direct question to Suella Braverman at the policing conference in London, Kim asked for “a level playing field” so all forces had the chance to see a full replacement of lost officers.

Kim added:

“The Government owes the people of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear another 485 officers and ministers are refusing to hand over the funds.

“And as if that wasn’t bad enough, we now see that some forces are able to boast of having smashed historic officer numbers. Just look at the likes of Essex and Cambridgeshire – more officers now than at any other time in their forces’ history.

“Now, some of this will come from a variety of means, but if a southern force can find the money to fund more police officers – presumably from local council tax payers - then they clearly don’t need extra Government funds.

“The Home Office must implement a fair system based on need, so all police forces can finally return to their pre-austerity recruitment numbers.

“My message to the Home Secretary is clear; give us back our cops”

Speaking in response to Kim’s question at the QE II conference centre in London, the Home Secretary said that “if there is disparity this would need to be looked at”.