Local MP Maria Miller has welcomed increased funding for Hampshire Constabulary which will help to keep our communities safer with the recruitment of 250 new Police Officers.
The Government has announced funding for Hampshire Constabulary of up to £366 million next year, an increase of up to £26 million on the previous year. Also, the Hampshire Police and Crime Panel has approved an increase in the policing precept for 2020/21.
The funding will allow the recruitment of the additional 250 Police Officers, with 156 funded by the Government, and a further 94 officers funded through the increased policing precept. This is on top of 210 new officers who have been recruited in the last year, and are already deployed across the county.
Maria said: “It is very good news that we are getting so many additional Police Officers, which means around a 10% increase in police officer numbers over the two year period. Nearly half of them are already on our streets, protecting local communities, and the recruitment of the next 250 is about to start.”
“The extra funding is also helping to improve public contact, through investment in the telephone contact centres, and new technology to fight crime, improve security and free up Police Officers to spend more time in their communities.”