Hampshire Constabulary are set to recruit some 108 new Police officers, it has been announced.
Following the news that the Police budget won’t be cut, Simon Hayes, Hampshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, has confirmed that 108 officers will be recruited in what is being described as the biggest influx in over 5 years.
It is currently unknown how many of these new constables will be located on the Isle of Wight, which currently has less than 200 officers.
By April the Island’s armed response unit and roads policing units will be fully merged. Already some changes have been made to the way in which officers respond to certain types of incidents and second-hand response cars from the mainland have been brought over to the Island.
Announcing these plans Mr Hayes said:
“Previous years of government policy cutting funding has put intolerable strain on policing across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. I don’t believe that officer numbers can be cut any further, while protecting people and places in the way the public expect.
“Today I’m announcing we will be recruiting 108 new police officers into Hampshire and the Isle of Wight as soon as possible. This supports my commitment to neighbourhood policing, and will have a direct benefit to all communities, both rural and urban.
“These new recruits will bring much needed support to those officers and staff who have been so stretched in protecting the public in recent difficult times.”
Article continues below this advertisement
