HL Deb 29 March 2004 vol 659 cc130-1WA
Viscount Simon

asked Her Majesty's Government:

For each year since 1997 and for each United Kingdom constabulary, what is (a) the total number of police officers; and (b) the total number of pursuit-trained traffic officers. [HL1929]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal

Police officer strength in the United Kimgdom for the period 1997 to 2003 is set out in the tables. The Scottish Executive and the Police Service of Northern Ireland have provided the figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland as these are not collected by the Home Office.

Information on the number of pursuit-trained officers is not collected.

Police Officer Strength in England and Wales
March 1997 March 1998 March 1999 March 2000 March 2001 March 2002 March 2003 December 2003
Suffolk 1,180 1,186 1,190 1,145 1,133 1,203 1,253 1,297
Surrey 1,620 1,608 1,662 1,785 2,066 1,992 1,906 1,922
Sussex 3,085 2,996 2,847 2,822 2,855 2,893 2,989 2,988
Thames Valley 3,695 3,776 3,748 3,740 3,703 3,762 3,833 4,019
Warwickshire 926 924 908 900 926 969 997 996
West Mercia 2,040 2,010 2,025 1,887 1,951 2,018 2,256 2,398
West Midlands 7,113 7,156 7,321 7,194 7,423 7,681 7,751 7,920
West Yorkshire 5,209 5,155 4,982 4,822 4,815 4,889 5,029 5,226
Wiltshire 1,154 1,156 1,151 1,118 1,120 1,157 1,158 1,203
Dyfed-Powys 1,005 1,002 1,026 1,040 1,055 1,132 1,149 1,148
Gwent 1,243 1,233 1,247 1,264 1,274 1,333 1,341 1,351
North Wales 1,369 1,396 1,391 1,403 1,444 1,506 1,539 1,601
South Wales 2,976 2,986 2,981 2,926 3,154 3,222 3,239 3,266
Total force strength 125,051 124,756 123,841 121,956 123,476 127,267 131,426 136,093
NCS 1,333 1,289 1,333 1,389 1,308 1,176 1,175 1,182
NCIS n/a n/a 243 248 256 287 252 259
Central Service Secondments 774 769 679 825 643 874 513 621
Total Police Stength 127,158 126,814 126,096 124,418 125,519 129,603 133,366 138,155

Police Strength in Scotland
Force March 1997 March 1998 March 1999 March 2000 March 2001 March 2002 March 2003 December 2003
Central Scotland Police 686 703 719 721 729 715 732 756
Dumfries & Galloway Constabulary 412 439 437 451 474 477 477 486
Fife Constabulary 831 855 846 837 849 905 928 956
Grampian 1,173 1,193 1,249 1,215 1,259 1,243 1,268 1,311
Lothian & Borders Police 2,691 2,691 2,615 2,584 2,645 2,671 2,683 2,717
Northern Constabulary 649 657 660 653 666 681 687 676
Strathclyde Police 7,231 7,299 7,135 7,101 7,287 7,287 7,426 7,431
Tayside Police 1,116 1,143 1,149 1,137 1,151 1,163 1,159 1,150
Scotland Total 14,789 14,980 14,810 14,699 15,059 15,143 15,361 15,483

Note:

From Quarterly Strength Return

From September 2000 police numbers collected on a whole-time equivalent basis. Previously headcount.

Police Strength in Northern Ireland
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Regular Police Officers 8,423 8,485 8,496 8,393 7,810 6,976 6,994 7,319
Full time reserves 2,929 2,982 2,862 2,688 2,496 2,184 1,860 1,640
Part time reserves 1,473 1,324 1,217 1,152 1,073 1,001 951 868