Gloucestershire Constabulary is the latest force to reach its Government recruitment target.

The constabulary was charged with securing 153 new officers out of the Government's proposed target of 20,000 more officers.

When the three-year period closed on March 31, the constabulary had grown by 164 new officers. Since then, the Home Office has accepted the police and crime commissioner's (PCC) bid for funding a further 10, taking the projected total by September 2023 to 174.

Chris Nelson, PCC, said: "People have told me they want to see more officers on their streets and that's what I am delivering. The constabulary is undergoing a major reorganisation, with the aim of providing the service people want, that enables them to tackle the crimes that matter to them the most and be more visible in our communities.

"Gloucestershire now has its highest number of police officers in recent years. Once they are all fully trained, they will boost numbers dealing with the public and enable the constabulary to focus on community issues as they arise, leading to more enforcement."

Already in 2023, 53 student officers have begun training, including 23 who completed the process and passed out in April.

Chief constable Rod Hansen said: "I am very pleased that we have succeeded in meeting our recruitment targets for three years in a row. This means we can provide an enhanced service to the public, in particular to victims and those at greatest risk of harm.

"These recruitment targets were ambitious and challenging, not least in a competitive labour market. We intend to use this significant boost to our numbers wisely, deploying officers to those areas where they are needed most."