April 29, 2022 12.30 pm This story is over 23 months old

Over 200 new police officers in Lincolnshire since 2019

New data released
Lincolnshire Police. | Photo: Steve Smailes

The “largest recruitment of police officers in decades” has seen more than 200 officers employed in Lincolnshire since 2019 according to new figures.

The data, released by the Conservative government as part of its drive to hire 20,000 officers nationwide by March 23, shows Lincolnshire now has 1,220 officers covering the county.

Lincolnshire Police has historically been the lowest funded police force in the country and officers have been stretched thin by years of missing out on extra government funding.

Lincolnshire’s policing tax increased by £9.99 a year for Band D properties for 2022/23 and in total since 2017 residents have been asked to pay an extra £70.83 a year.

Programmes such as Channel 5’s recent series of Inside the Force have highlighted how at times there are just a handful of staff tackling Lincoln city centre.

Conservative Boston and Skegness MP Matt Warman said: “From working with our local police force, I know just how valuable more police officers will be in helping crack down on crime in our local community.”

He said the new officers would help to pursue criminals, keep neighbourhoods safe, and reassure the law-abiding majority.

The Conservative Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones said MPs had been “incredibly supportive” in his fight to attract extra funding from government and that the force now had the “highest level of officer numbers we have had in many years”.

“There is no doubt that the government uplift programme – alongside the support from local tax payers and careful financial planning – have allowed me to fund the largest recruitment of police officers in decades,” he said.

“We are still in the midst of that recruitment process and with additional recruitments due later this year and next we will grow operational capability further in order to make a real impact on crime and reduce harm across the county.”

He added that further funding saw investments in technology such as cutting edge digital forensics and ever improving vital drone technology.

“Despite being one the lowest funded forces in England and Wales, we are creating a force the people of Lincolnshire can be proud of,” said Mr Jones.

The latest news comes a week before voters in Lincoln join others across the country in heading to the polls to pick their local councillors.

Data from Yougov/Times released on Thursday shows the Conservatives are behind in the latest national voting intention polls with Labour in the lead with 39% of the vote to the Conservatives’ 33%.