County is to get 300 more bobbies on beat

Staffordshire’s police, fire and crime commissioner Ben Adams has revealed that there will be 300 more bobbies on the beat across Staffordshire over the next three years.

The figure represents a 20% increase on current numbers, and will bring the force’s total to almost 2,000 officers within the next 18 months, (writes local democracy reporter Richard Price).

Mr Adams acknowledged that this figure was “not as high as it had been previously”, but said that crime was “taking place differently now”.

More than the 20,000 police officers promised nationally have now been recruited, and Staffordshire is ahead of its target as part of this.

Mr Adams said: “I’m really pleased that, in the country, we’re leading the way in terms of female recruits as well.” Around 54% of the most recent recruits are female officers.

“I think it’s going to change the nature of the police service,” he said.

“We’re seeing some really capable young people, absolutely enthusiastic – and by the way there’s no shortage of people wanting to get in on this recruitment programme.” Mr Adams added: “We’re going to have people that are perhaps more comfortable – because they’ve grown up with it – in the digital world.

“So much of crime is involved – so much investigation now – so much exploitation and threat is online. I think they’re ready and understand that.

“I think we’ll see some real capable new additions, particularly in forensics and things of that nature.

“But all of them have an ambition to be out on the streets to be doing the job in every way that they can.”