Hertfordshire surpasses police uplift target with 338 extra officers

A record high number of officers are now serving the people of Hertfordshire after continued investment from local residents and the government.

Today (Wednesday) it was announced that Hertfordshire Constabulary now has 338 extra officers than in September 2019 when the national campaign to recruit 20,000 officers was launched.

David Lloyd, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire, welcomed the news that the Constabulary now has a headcount of 2,415 officers, which is 34 higher than the original uplift target of 2,381.

In recent years Mr Lloyd has taken the decision to increase the police precept on council tax bills to bolster the number of officers on the frontline in the county.

“It is fantastic news that here in Hertfordshire we have exceeded the uplift target for new officers, and there are now more police on the streets than ever before,“ he said.

“Residents and businesses have repeatedly told me that they want to see more frontline officers, and that is what has been delivered.

“We are in a good place in Hertfordshire with more officers available to address those persistent crimes which cause concern in our communities. This includes burglary, vehicle crime, drug offences, serious youth violence, driving offences and those offences which particularly effect women and girls.

“Just last month Hertfordshire was recognised as one of the safest places to live in England and Wales, with the fifth lowest crime rate among all the 43 police force areas.”

“I also welcome the fact that more women and those from ethnic minorities are joining Hertfordshire Constabulary, so that it can better reflect the populations it serves.”

Over the past three years out of the total of 719 new officers recruited 313, or 43.5 per cent, were women. While 61 student officers, or 8.48 per cent, were from ethnic minority backgrounds.