I’m delighted that there are now 3,971 police officers across Kent helping to keep us safe.
This is 242 more officers since September 2019, and 184 more officers than 2010.
Thank you to each and every one for their extraordinary efforts in serving communities across Kent – especially during the past 18 months of the pandemic.
The recruitment drive is part of the Government's pledge to put 20,000 more officers on our streets by 2023, and is also thanks to the hard work of our Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Scott.
Across England and Wales, 9,814 police officers have been recruited since the recruitment drive was launched in September 2019 – putting us almost halfway to delivering on our manifesto promise.
In addition to putting more police on our streets, we’re also giving police the powers they need to tackle crimes affectively and keep people safe.
The Police, Crime, Sentencing, and Courts Bill will give police additional powers to get knives off our streets and remove unauthorised encampments, as well as giving greater protection to emergency workers by toughening up sentences for assaulting our frontline staff.
I’ll continue working with communities across Faversham and Mid Kent to make sure we’re getting the police resources we need, where we need them.
