Police chiefs in call for 2,000 new officers
Police chiefs have called on Boris Johnson to return officer numbers in the West Midlands back to their 2010 levels.
The Prime Minister has pledged 20,000 new officers to tackle the country's rising crime rate, but forces have not yet been told how they will be distributed.
West Midlands Police has lost 2,131 officers over the last nine years due to budget cuts.
Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson has called for all of them to be replaced, while the force's Chief Constable Dave Thompson said an extra 1,200 officers would mark a "substantial lift in resources".
Boris Johnson announced the extra officer numbers in Birmingham last month, telling the Express & Star that urban forces would receive "a big proportion" of the new resources.
Mr Jamieson said: “Since 2010 West Midlands Police has lost £175 million and over 2,000 officers. I have written to the Prime Minister and Home Secretary to ensure we receive our fair share of officers.
“When Boris Johnson and Priti Patel visited the West Midlands to announce their pledge of more officers they will have heard about the strains on our force and the increased levels of complex and violent crimes we face compared to rural areas.
"It therefore makes sense that we should receive funding to reverse the loss in officers we have faced. That funding should not disproportionately go to rural areas with lower crime levels."
Mr Thompson said: "I do not yet know how many officers West Midlands Police will receive. WMP accounts for six per cent of the grant government allocated to policing.
"If that was the means to allocate the officers it would be a lift of 1,200 officers over three years. This could be a substantial lift in resources. There will be police staff resources in addition to help manage the logistics of recruitment."
He added: "Having seen policing budgets decline for nine years this is welcome. The detail is not clear but the prospect of an improved position is to be welcomed.
"I think it is important that we concentrate on how to deliver this opportunity and make a difference to the public who can see and feel our stretch. The public need these officers and so do colleagues."
He added that the recruitment drive would be "a fantastic opportunity to improve the diversity of our force".
Meanwhile, Mr Jamieson has raised concerns over PCSO and police staff numbers, which have not been mentioned in the Government's plans.
“PCSOs and police staff are an integral part of the police family, without whom police officers would be unsupported," he said.
"From answering emergency 999 calls to forensics, staff play a crucial part in policing and need to be in the Government's plans.”
