West Midlands Police is recruiting more than 1,000 police officers, PCSOs and staff.
Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson today (August 31) announced plans to take on 1,150 new starters over the next three years.
The webpage for people to register their interest to become a police officer is here and the application process will start in the autumn.
Adverts for specific police staff roles, including PCSOs, will be advertised in due course.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said: “My top pledges during my election in May were to recruit police officers, protect PCSOs and put specialist staff in place to tackle the new threats we face. I am delivering on those promises.
“These new police officers and PCSOs will help make our streets safer and tackle crime. This recruitment is at nearly double the rate of my previous term in office and is only happening because of the tough decisions that have been taken to make West Midlands Police more efficient.
“West Midlands Police has faced the biggest cuts of any force in the country and is receiving £2.5 million less from the government again this year. This recruitment of more than 1,000 officers and staff shows that we have the right priorities for the force.
“This new phase of recruitment will also help to make the force look more like the people it serves.”
The new recruitment drive is broken down to 800 new PCs, 200 specialist staff in a range of roles, such as investigators, that will help free officers from their desks and get out on the beat, and 150 PCSOs to maintain their numbers.
The last phase of recruitment for 450 officers opened in 2014 with many successful applicants trained throughout 2015 and on the beat towards the end of last year.
The starting salary for new officers will be £22,896, with a minimum of 22 days annual leave.
The force offers diverse career opportunities, covering local policing, investigation, road policing, firearms and more. The role offers a police pension, based on average career earnings, regular opportunities for professional development, specialist training and a career in serving the public of the West Midlands.
West Midlands Police Chief Constable Dave Thompson added: “It is great news that we again have an opportunity to welcome a new group of recruits into West Midlands Police, which will help us to provide an even better service by bringing fresh ideas into our workforce, directly from the communities we serve.
“Policing is challenging and rewarding. As a constable you’ll get to learn new skills, meet new people and you’ll never know what to expect − each day is different. Our officers are key to delivering our vision of preventing crime, while protecting the public and helping those in need. Whether it’s responding to an emergency or working with local groups to help create a vibrant and caring community, our officers and staff will be the front line in inspiring confidence and really making a difference to people’s lives.
“The area we police is richly diverse, with around 30 per cent of local people coming from ethnic minority backgrounds. We want our force to reflect that and it is key that communities know that we have a strong commitment to equality and diversity.
“We have already made significant steps on recruitment. BME officers now make up nearly a third of our current recruits and we are hopeful that the next phase of recruitment builds on this so that West Midlands Police is representative of the many different cultures it serves.”
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