Force numbers raised at Prime Minister’s Questions

3 December 2021

Boris Johnson has come under fire over policing numbers in the West Midlands after insisting the Government was on target to recruit 20,000 new officers across the country.

Coventry MP Colleen Fletcher warned the Force was under “significant pressure” because of the fall in officer numbers over the past 10 years and called on the Prime Minister to provide extra funding.

Addressing the House of Commons at Prime Minister's Questions, Ms Fletcher said West Midlands Police had lost 2,221 officers between 2010 and 2019 and would still be 1,000 officers short even if Mr Johnson’s uplift programme achieved its goal.

The Labour MP said: “This lack of frontline officers has left police stretched and under significant pressure with officers actually telling me there are insufficient resources to investigate every crime.

“Will the Prime Minister commit to providing West Midlands Police with a fairer funding deal to ensure the force can return officer numbers back to 2010 levels?”

Mr Johnson said the Government remained “on track” to recruit 20,000 police nationally.
He thanked the Force and Ms Fletcher for “drawing attention to what we are doing to increase the number of police officers”.

He told the Commons: “We are on track and of our 20,000 that I pledged on the steps of Downing Street two and half years ago Mr Speaker, we have already recruited another 11,000.”

Ms Fletcher’s comments were backed by Rich Cooke, chair of West Midlands Police.

“While, of course, we appreciate the investment in recruitment but the hard facts are that we are still going to be under-resourced. Officers are under considerable pressure as they try to meet all the competing demands for their attention,” said Rich.

“During the austerity years, as our numbers plummeted the demands placed on the police service soared. We were expected to cover the gaps left in other services, and in the health and voluntary sector while also adapting to new and emerging offences, such as cyber-crime.

“Added into this mix now we have the effect of the pandemic. Police officers are being stretched ever thinner and it is time the Government properly funded the police service and recognised officers’ vital role in society with a pay rise not a pay freeze.”

The Federation chair also stressed that investment was much more than a pure numbers game.

“Of course, we are happy that one of our region’s MPs has raised the issue of officer numbers in the House of Commons but we must also remember that during the austerity years the Force’s entire infrastructure took a disproportionate hit. What had been built up over decades was destroyed in a relatively short time and we now need to see sustained investment to help us recover.”