PCC set to welcome hundreds of new police officers
27th May 2020
A major recruitment drive to get hundreds of new police officers on our streets by the end of 2020 is fully on track says Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness.
Despite challenges due to the Coronavirus pandemic, an emergency response plan unveiled by the Police Commissioner last week outlined how ongoing recruitment to the frontline will be crucial for meeting policing priorities during the outbreak and beyond.
The latest Northumbria Police recruitment campaign has had 1625 people register their interest so far. The force has been taking steps to ensure a wider range of applicants, with around 36 per cent of job enquiries coming from women, for example, and targeted recruitment adverts to ensure more BAME applicants.
Police Commissioner Kim McGuinness has welcomed the recruitment plans as a great opportunity to ensure Northumbria Police continues to reflect the communities it serves.
Northumbria Police currently has 254 officers in training and 78 of them began their degree in professional policing practice during the lockdown.
For the last financial year (2019/20) 84 new officers started as part of the national uplift and the Commissioner, along with Chief Constable Winton Keenen decided to invest further in our police force and chose to boost this number with an additional 205.
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “I’m heartened by the number of people applying to take on this role during such strange, challenging times. We have 140 new recruits joining us next month. These are people who want to help make a difference during a crisis are exactly the people we want serving, out and about in our communities.
“Our force has lost more than 1100 officers in the last decade as a direct result of Government cuts. We set out a plan to undo this damage and we are on track to do so. Of course, recruitment events have had to be digitalised, courses adapted and so on, but recruitment has had to go on. It’s crucial we re-fill the gaps.”
The Commissioner, added: “In times like these we need our police more than ever. Our recovery plan is about getting our police back to a normal footing as soon as possible, allowing us to deal with the aftermath of the virus and progress longer term aims of improving public safety.
“To anyone looking for a new career, this could be your time to consider joining the police family. If so, we want to hear from you and how your skills and background could help serve our communities – improving lives and preventing crime.”
The PCC has set out a plan for policing during the lockdown and the crucial changes that will need to happen as the region looks to recovery. The Coronavirus Response Plan can be found here.
Northumbria Police has a whole range of career and volunteer opportunities. For more information visit the Northumbria Police LinkedIn page or go to the careers website.
Connect with us on:
