AS part of the Government’s campaign to recruit 20,000 additional police officers over the next three years, figures released today reveal that a total of 309 new recruits have joined forces across Wales.

Around 95 new officers will be recruited to North Wales Police.

Chief Constable Carl Foulkes said: “The additional officers to the force are welcomed as we work to meet an ever changing and increasing level of demand on the service.

“The figures show that we have worked really hard, even within the constraints of Covid, to recruit and train an unprecedented number of officers, utilising ever more innovative approaches to make sure we continue to serve our communities and make North Wales the safest place in the UK.

“I have been clear that I want North Wales Police to be representative of the communities we serve. We now have a force that is increasingly thus, although we know we still have a journey to go and we will continue to encourage people from all communities and backgrounds to join us.”

This has been welcomed by MP for Clwyd South Simon Baynes.

The addition of these new officers brings the total number of police across North Wales up to 1,602, meaning there are now more frontline officers on our streets to keep the public safe.

Simon Baynes MP said: “Getting more police officers onto our streets is one of people’s top priorities, so I am delighted that in just over one year, this Conservative Government has already delivered an extra 95 officers across North Wales.

“Every one of these officers will make an enormous difference in helping to cut crime and keep people safe – and I know that many more will follow as this UK Government continues to deliver on its promise to recruit 20,000 more over the next three years.

“By backing our police with the funding, powers and resources they need, we are keeping the public and our communities safe, so that people everywhere can live their lives free from the fear of crime.”

Since the launch of the UK Government’s recruitment campaign one year ago, a total of 5,824 extra officers have joined police forces across England and Wales.

Alongside the recruitment campaign, the Conservative UK Government is also boosting police pay by 2.5 per cent this year, equivalent to a constable receiving an extra £1,100, providing officers with an increase above inflation for the second year running, the largest pay rise in a decade.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “Getting more police officers on our streets is a priority for the British people – therefore a priority for me.

“Just one year since we began recruiting, I am delighted that there are nearly 6,000 of the 20,000 additional officers on our streets cutting crime and making your communities safer.

“As we’ve seen from the frontline response to coronavirus, the work of each and every police officer helps to save lives and I would like to extend my gratitude to them, and to the new recruits, for joining the police and being a part of this heroic national effort.”