§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many police officers have(a) left the profession and (b) been recruited in Coventry in each year since 1997; [36501]
(2) what the shortfall is in police officer numbers in Coventry; what measures are being taken to increase these numbers; and if he will make a statement. [36500]
§ Mr. John Denham[holding answer 25 February 2002]: The information in the tables has been provided by the Chief Constable of the West Midlands Police.
This Government is helping West Midlands Police to increase police numbers through the extra recruits being made available through the Crime Fighting Fund (CFF). West Midlands has been allocated 523 CFF recruits over three years to March 2003. The force recruited 222 CFF recruits in 2000–01 and expects to recruit 195 in 2001–02 and a further 106 in 2002–03. By 31 January 2002 West Midlands had 7,577 officers, a record number and 464 more than in March 1997. It is for the Chief Constable to determine the allocation of officers within the force area.
The City of Coventry has three territorial divisions. Table 1 provides information on the budgeted strength of each division and its actual strength. Differences between actual and budgeted strength have a variety of causes. They may arise because patterns of recruitment to and 1476W wastage from the police service are different or because targets for strength at the end of the financial year reflect planned changes in strength, for example the allocation of officers recruited through the Crime Fighting Fund.
Table 2 shows the numbers of officers who were recruited and posted to Coventry and who left the profession from the Coventry divisions, it also shows the number of officers who left on transfer to another police force.
(1) Number of officers in the Coventry Divisions Division Budgeted strength1 Actual strength1,2 M1 Division 300 282 M2 Division 276 264 M3 Division 287 272 TOTAL 863 818 1Figures are full-time equivalents.
2Strength is the position at 31 January.
(2) Number of officers joining and leaving Coventry Divisions Year (12 months Ending 31 March) Number of officers recruited (including transfers from other forces) Number leaving profession from Coventry divisions1 Number of officers transferring from Coventry to other forces Total leavers 1996–97 39 36 1 37 1997–98 56 26 6 32 1998–99 39 25 7 32 1999–2000 64 39 3 42 2000–01 67 37 12 49 2001–02 (to 20/02/02) 15 7 4 11 Total 280 170 33 203 1Retirement, ill health/deceased, not satisfactory, career break, other.