Communities are at risk due to lack of government funding

Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Donna Jones has reaffirmed her commitment to increasing police officer numbers following new Home Office statistics showing a national decline.

Despite the national picture, officer numbers for Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary continue to grow.

Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones says this has been achieved despite reduced central government funding allocations.

The Commissioner said: “The government is putting communities at risk. Police officer numbers are falling up and down the country. There is insufficient funding and support from the Home Office.

“However, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is bucking the national trend.

“Whilst police officer numbers across the country have dropped by a staggering amount, I’ve made police recruitment and funding more police officers my number one priority every year since I’ve been the PCC.

“This week I’ve published the police budget for the year ahead. This includes growing officer numbers by a further 36 for Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary. A total of 851 more police officers have been funded since I’ve been in post, almost a third more than when I arrived.

“This financial year, the government reduced the funding expected for Hampshire & Isle of Wight residents, meaning local tax payers are picking up the costs for police visibility.

“I intend to make this case to the government today; policing requires sustainable long‑term funding to ensure policing services remain equipped to meet the growing demand and keep communities safe.”

Home Office data published this week indicates a national net fall of 1,318 full‑time equivalent (FTE) police officers in the past 12 months. While 24 forces across England and Wales recorded year‑on‑year increases. This was outweighed by reductions across the remaining 19 forces, amounting to a loss of 1,775 officers nationally. The highest number of police officers was recorded in March 2024.