More than 2,000 officers join neighbourhood teams this year

New data from the Home Office shows 2,384 additional officers had been moved into neighbourhood policing roles up to the end of September.

It means forces are on track to boost neighbourhood policing with 3,000 new officers this year, new official figures show.

This growth in neighbourhood roles underpins the implementation of the foundation commitments of the government's new neighbourhood policing guarantee, which were set out in April last year.

These include having named, contactable officers in every community, providing a guarantee of a 72-hour response time to neighbourhood queries, holding regular beat meetings and having dedicated anti-social behaviour leads in every force.

Forces are working hard to achieve the requirements of the guarantee for this year, and are on track to meet the 3,000 uplift target by April.

Deputy Chief Constable Catherine Akehurst, our programme lead for the neighbourhood policing guarantee, said: "The results of the Safer Streets Summer Initiative clearly show the benefits of investing in neighbourhood policing and we must continue this momentum.

"We are grateful for these investments from the government and know that strong local policing plays a vital part in building trust and confidence within our communities, which is why we are committed to improving neighbourhood policing and delivering the results we have seen through the programme so far.

“Strengthening local policing teams to respond to local issues through initiatives such as the neighbourhood policing guarantee is a central part of our vision for police reform. Done right, it offers a powerful opportunity to rebuild trust and improve the way policing protects and supports communities.”