§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent on each phase of the "Could You?" police recruitment campaign to date; and how many officers have been recruited as a direct result. [151417]
§ Ms BlearsThe first phase of the Police "Could You?" recruitment campaign ran for three years from 2000 to March 2003 and cost just under £16 million. This was the first national police recruitment campaign and it was launched against a background of police numbers which had been steadily falling for years. The campaign was executed on TV, cinema, press, radio and on-line. We cannot say how many police officers were recruited as a direct result of the campaign. While advertising is an important factor in encouraging potential applicants to apply, it is not the only factor. However, we know that interest in the police service rose during and after the campaign and the numbers of police recruits went up after a prolonged period of decline. Three years later we now have record numbers of police officers.
The current recruitment campaign will run from November 2003 to March 2004. The campaign is targeted at women and minority ethnic people who are currently under-represented in the police service. It is also aimed at increasing the number of Special Constables. The campaign will cost just under £5.8 million in total. It includes TV, radio and press advertising and on-line advertising. It also includes production of a recruitment brochure and a recruitment video, PR support for four pilot forces, enhancement of the police recruitment website, and call handling facilities.
It will not be possible to say how many people were recruited as a direct result of the campaign. However, we will be tracking the level of interest in the police service generated by the campaign through the website and call centre. We will also be tracking the visibility of our advertisements, public perception of them, and attitudes towards the attractiveness of a police career through regular surveys.