Police recruitment drive to continue, says Tony Lloyd

Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd

1. Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd has said he will continue the recruitment drive that began last year, with hundreds more new officers to be recruited this year.
2. Mr Lloyd said: “Last year, I was able to support the Chief Constable in beginning recruitment on a scale we haven’t seen in five years, giving us an opportunity to bring in fresh ideas and diversity to the workforce. I’m pleased to see that of the 100 new recruits from local communities; more than a third are from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.
   
   “The budget I have announced today will help to boost this recruitment, giving more local people the opportunity to get into policing and help keep our streets, homes and families safe.
   
   “Greater Manchester is the most challenging area to police, with officers faced with increasingly complex investigation and rising crime levels.
3. "With this budget I am investing in the safety of our communities and supporting the Chief Constable in maintaining an efficient, effective police service – a service that understands its communities, a service that local people can have confidence in.”