Recruitment success

4 May 2021

Hertfordshire Police Federation chair Geoff Bardell has welcomed new Home Office figures that show the Force is ahead of schedule in its drive to recruit more officers.

Hertfordshire Constabulary has had an uplift of 155 officers after the first full year of the Government’s three-year Police Uplift Programme, which aims to increase the number of police in England and Wales by 20,000.

It’s 70 per cent more than the Force’s first year allocation of 91 officers, and means there are now 2,232 officers serving Hertfordshire.

“It’s pleasing to see the Force ahead of schedule in its recruitment,” said Geoff, “It’s a really good start to the three-year campaign, particularly when you take into account the difficulties created by the pandemic  in recruiting new officers.

“It’s making a difference to our members having extra officers on the ground during what’s been an unprecedented period of not only policing the pandemic but also carrying out their day jobs.”

Geoff said the Force now faced the challenge of retaining after Home Office figures showed it had recruited 344 new officers since the programme was launched.

“Of course we’re going to lose officers to retirement but we need to do all we can to make sure we retain these recruits and our experienced officers, who have so much to give to our new colleagues,” Geoff added.

Nationally, the Home Office figures show there were 137,704 officers in the 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales as at 31 March – an increase of 8,771 officers.

Meanwhile, forces are being encouraged to use new tax breaks to recruit more officers from military backgrounds.

Companies and public sector organisations which employ armed forces veterans are now exempt from paying National Insurance contributions during the first 12 months of their employment.

This new tax relief came into force on 6 April and is available to every employer - regardless of when a veteran left the regular armed forces. 

National chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales John Apter said: “This is good news and shows the Government recognises the value and contribution veterans can bring through their life experiences and strong transferable skills.

“As part of our current national recruitment campaign, forces need to grab this opportunity with both hands and do all they can to recruit people with life experience, and this includes ex-military who can contribute so much to policing.”