Analysis of Home Office statistics by the Liberal Democrats has shown that Thames Valley’s officer numbers actually fell by 29 in the last year.
New figures show that 229 extra officers have been recruited by Thames Valley Police under the Government’s campaign that started in September 2019.
Thames Valley Police has so far recruited just 8 more officers per month under the scheme.
The government have a target to recruit 609 by March 2023. To do so, that rate would have to increase to 25 per month over the next 15 months.
Milton Keynes’s Liberal Democrats have slammed the government for failing to keep their promise to communities, adding that there needs to be a return to full and proper community policing.
Responding to the figures, Councillor Robin Bradburn, Liberal Democrat Group Leader on Milton Keynes Council, said: “People in Milton Keynes are being let down and taken for granted by this Conservative Government. With so many local crimes going unsolved, we desperately need more police on our streets and in our communities.
“Liberal Democrats are calling for a return to proper community policing, where officers are visible, trusted and known personally to local people.”
“The Conservatives’ pledge to boost police officer numbers looks set to become yet another of their broken promises. They are letting down victims of crime and our communities right across our area.”
