# England and Wales added 3,814 full-time-equivalent officers and PCSOs to neighbourhood policing in a year, a 22.2% rise

Page: https://flyvolo.ai/en/changes/ev-20260331-police-officer-7
Date: 2026-03-31 · Stage: Labour impact
Can this record move a task judgement? yes
Occupation: https://flyvolo.ai/en/careers/police-officer

## Scope

England and Wales. The official statistics say there were 20,989 full-time-equivalent police officers and PCSOs in neighbourhood policing roles on 31 March 2026, including officers in training destined for those roles, an increase of 3,814 (22.2%) on the 31 March 2025 baseline of 17,175, exceeding the programme's first-year target of 3,011. A measured rise in people assigned to neighbourhood roles under a government programme; it does not measure how much of their time is community work, and it says nothing about technology.

## Source

- Home Office — Police workforce, England and Wales: 31 March 2026 (accredited official statistics; published July 2026) — https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-england-and-wales-31-march-2026/police-workforce-england-and-wales-31-march-2026 (primary source)

## What this means

In England and Wales, more people, not fewer, are being put into the community side of policing.

## What it does not show yet

Driven by a government target, not by any change in technology; it counts roles, not time spent with communities.

## How to verify it yourself

Open the Home Office release 'Police workforce, England and Wales: 31 March 2026' and find "an increase of 3,814 FTE (22.2%)".


More: https://flyvolo.ai/llms.txt