Have police numbers really gone up, and does it make a difference?

More police on the beat doesn’t always mean solving more crimes, says Sean O’Grady

More than 20,000 new police officers have been hired in England and Wales (PA)

London’s Metropolitan Police is the only force not to meet a recruitment target set by the government. More than 20,000 new police officers have been hired in England and Wales – meeting a 2019 Conservative manifesto pledge – but Britain’s biggest police force missed its goal, according to Home Office figures.

What was the Conservative promise?

In the 2019 manifesto – cheerily titled Get Brexit Done Unleash Britain’s Potential – the promise wasn’t just to recruit them but to put them on the beat as well. “We want everyone to have the fundamental security that comes from safe streets and safe neighbourhoods – so we are backing our police, putting 20,000 more officers on the streets, and giving them the powers to tackle crime with stop and search,” it said.