February 25, 2005: 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.