Operation Uplift statement

A national recruitment campaign has launched to recruit 20,000 new police officers in the UK over the next three years.

Urging people to join the police and ‘be a force for all’, the campaign is aiming to see up to 6,000 additional officers recruited in its first wave, with the government committing £750 million for 2020-21 to fund the recruitment drive.

The remaining 14,000 are to be recruited in the following two years and will be additional to officers hired to fill existing vacancies.

This national investment coincides with Gwent Police’s own recruitment drive, which is underway.

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent, Jeff Cuthbert, said: “I welcome the use of centralised funding from the government to fund these new policing posts, rather than the cost burden being placed on council taxpayers.

“However, we need to ensure there is continued sustainable investment from UK Government; not only in policing, but the wider criminal justice system too.

“Recruiting more police officers alone will not be enough to tackle the challenges we face today. A holistic approach needs to be implemented, with investment in all aspects of the system from diversionary activities, force control rooms and custody staff, to greater resources being committed to the Crown Prosecution Service, courts, victim services and the management of offenders.

“Since the start of the UK Government’s austerity programme in 2010/11, our budget in Gwent has been reduced by 40% in real terms. Despite this, I am proud to say that we have recruited more than 400 police officers since 2016, of which almost 150 are new policing posts.

“Policing is an exciting career, with excellent opportunities and a chance to make a difference for communities served. I’d encourage anyone interested in working for the police to visit Gwent Police’s website and find out more about the vital work the police undertake to protect and reassure the public in Gwent each and every day.”

Gwent Police is currently recruiting. To find out more, visit the Gwent Police website.

For more information on the national campaign, go to www.joiningthepolice.co.uk