February 25, 2004: Record Police Numbers
Police numbers have topped 140,000 for the first time. The number of police
officers (full-time equivalents) in England and Wales in September 2004 was
140,135, an increase of 3,253 (2.4%) on 12 months earlier.
This total includes 1,830 officers seconded to the
National Crime Squad, the
National Criminal Intelligence Service and
central services. The total number of police officers in the 43 police forces in
England and Wales was 138,305.
There were 4,127 Community Support Officers on 30 September
2004, a rise of 101.7 per
cent since September 2003.
The number of police officers in England and Wales prior to
the election of New Labour in March 1997 was 127,158. The bulletin ‘Police
Service Strength England and Wales, 30 September 2004’ was published on 24
February and can be downloaded at the
Home Office Research
Development and Statistics Directorate.
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