100,000 milestone hit one year after the Government launched campaign to recruit 20,000 additional officers
More than 100,000 people have applied to become police officers one year into the Government’s recruitment drive.
Provisional data from forces across England and Wales shows they have received almost 101,000 applications between October and August, as part of plans to sign up 20,000 additional officers over the next three years.
This comes as new TV and radio adverts encouraging people to “make their difference” by joining the police launch nationwide today (Tuesday 15 September).
Home Secretary Priti Patel said:
More than 4,300 additional officers have already been recruited and are supporting the emergency services’ response to the virus.
This puts forces well on their way to meeting the first target of 6,000 additional officers in England and Wales by March 2021.
Martin Hewitt, chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said:
The College of Policing has also rolled out online assessment centres, which have been used by 39 police forces to date, to ensure that recruitment continues at pace while social restrictions are in place.
The new process includes an online assessment stage, where candidates complete a situational judgement test, an interview, briefing exercise and written exercise.
Chief Constable Mike Cunningham, CEO of the College of Policing, said:
New adverts have been released today show policing’s central role in the community, featuring officers from a range of backgrounds, representing forces including Essex and Nottinghamshire Police.
Speaking at the Police Superintendents’ Association’s conference last week the Home Secretary said that ambition on police diversity “knows no bounds”.
She also reiterated that the recruitment of 20,000 additional officers was a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to create a generation of police leaders who better represent the country they serve.
Anyone interested in applying to their local force can search ‘Join the Police’ to find out more.