Northumbria Police will increase its community policing presence after getting the green light to boost its recruitment plans.

Nationally, there is a drive to deliver an additional 13,000 neighbourhood officers, PCSOs and special constables over the next your years.

A Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee (NPG) has also been outlined to tell the public what they should be able to expect from local neighbourhood teams.

The Force already has a strong Neighbourhood Policing approach which seeks to prioritise visibility and public engagement.

Effective problem solving, prevention and proactive policing are essential elements of that approach to ensure people feel safe and to provide an outstanding service to the public.

Northumbria submitted an ambitious proposal which has been accepted. It will recruit an additional 95 police officers, 27 PSCOs and 30 Specials over the next year to increase its community policing presence.

The Force are also seeking to be the first in the country to offer a direct entry route into Neighbourhood Policing Teams enabling new officers and staff to make a real difference in their local communities and tackle the issues that matter most.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Susan Dungworth, said: “Like me, residents want to see officers out there on the streets, embedded in their local communities. So, this is a hugely welcome boost for our police, as a workforce, and for local people who we want to feel safe in their daily lives.

“With my full backing, the Chief Constable put forward an ambitious bid for more officers for our region – to help make those in uniform more visible and accessible wherever you live – whether in our busy towns or our more remote rural areas.

“As PCC, I have set out a clear plan for Northumbria for safer streets and stronger communities and the neighbourhood policing guarantee will play a vital role in helping deliver on my priority to ensure we have an engaged and responsive police force.

“With dedicated funding from Government for neighbourhood policing, we can now press on with big recruitment plans for the region so we can get more officers out where they are needed tackling crime, preventing disorder and providing that welcome police reassurance we all like to see.”

Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine said: “When we learned of the opportunity to increase our numbers, we decided to grab it with both hands.

“This will enable us to provide a more visible presence that the public always tell us they want to see.

“We have always valued neighbourhood policing here in Northumbria but this will give us a real boost to help us make communities safer, prevent crime and disorder, solve local problems and build on our already strong relationships with our fantastic communities.”

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