§ Mr. HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) police officers and (b) special constables there were in Sussex in each of the last 10 years. [9766]
§ Mr. DenhamThe information is set out in the table.
Sussex police Year1 Police officer strength Special constable strength Civilian support staff strength 1991 2,969 2571 926 1992 2,984 2548 951 1993 3,008 2512 983 1994 3,009 527 1,013 1995 2,931 511 1,049 1996 3,074 511 1,132 1997 3,085 472 1,149 1998 2,996 442 1,185 1999 2,847 393 1,393 2000 2,822 352 1,328 2001 2,855 306 1,454 1 As at 31 March 2 Special constable numbers for 1991 to 1993 are for 31 December In the latter part of the 1990s the chief constable civilianised a significant number of non-operational police posts, which accounts for the fall in police numbers from 1997 to 2000. At the end of August 2001 the force had 2,948 officers. Much of the recent increase reflects the success of the crime fighting fund.
§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 22 October 2001,Official Report, column 68W, on Sussex police numbers, what are the working-time equivalent numbers for (a) the 2,963 police officers and 1,573 civilian support staff employed by the Sussex constabulary, (b) the 108 729W additional police officers and 119 additional civilian support staff taken on since March 2001 and (c) the expected 224 new recruits in the current year. [11025]
§ Mr. Denham[holding answer 29 October 2001]The figures provided by the acting chief constable of Sussex police in the answer of 22 October 2001,Official Report, column 68W, are full-time equivalent numbers for officers and civilian support staff except for the expected new recruits in the current year. The projection for new recruits (224) is actual officer numbers because predictions cannot be made on whether new recruits will be full or part-time officers.