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Written question asked by Andrew Snowden (Conservative) on Friday, 10 April 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 14 April 2026. It was answered by Sarah Jones (Labour) on Wednesday, 22 April 2026 on behalf of the Home Office.

Neighbourhood Policing: Recruitment

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of the 3,123 additional neighbourhood officers represent (a) new recruits and (b) redeployed officers from other roles.

Answer

On 7 April 2026, the Home Office published an ad-hoc statistical release on the growth in neighbourhood policing personnel in England and Wales, as at 28 February 2026, compared with 31 March 2025. This information is based on provisional management information, and is available broken down by Police Force Area here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/neighbourhood-policing-programme-as-at-28-february-2026

This ad-hoc statistical release is based on limited management information, meaning it is not possible for the Home Office to determine what proportion of the additional 3,123 neighbourhood policing personnel (at the 28 February 2026 snapshot) are new recruits or redeployed officers from other roles.

Police forces have been able to approach the neighbourhood policing programme in a way that best achieves local needs and varied crime demands. Therefore, the precise mix of redeployment and recruitment has been for forces to decide.

Finalised statistics will be published in the Accredited Official ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistics in July 2026.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
125403
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Neighbourhood policing Recruitment
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk