A TOTAL of 185 additional officers for the Northumbria Police force area will be recruited within the next two years.

As part of the Home Office’s announcement on Wednesday, that it aims to bolster the ranks of police forces in England and Wales by 20,000 over the next three years, it was revealed that Northumbria will aim to recruit 185 officers by the end of 2021.

The funding will be welcomed across the Northumbria force after it was hit worst by funding reductions across the country, the force losing 1,000 officers since 2010.

The Home Office revealed this week it was prepared to provide £750m to support forces to recruit up to 6,000 additional officers nationally by 2021.

Home Secretary Priti Patel set out her vision for policing on Tuesday when she chaired the second meeting of the National Policing Board, involving representatives of frontline officers and police leaders.

She said: “The public is clear it wants to see more police officers on the streets, whether they live in the city or the countryside.

“This is the people’s priority and it is exactly what the Government is delivering.

“Every single police force in England and Wales will be able to recruit additional officers this year to help keep all of our communities safer.”

The 20,000 police officers will be in addition to those currently being recruited a £1bn increase in police funding for 2019-2020.

The Government funding for recruitment in 2020-2021 will cover all associated costs, including training and kit.

Kim McGuinness, the recently appointed Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria Police, had pledged to fight for extra funding for extra police officers for the force.

She was contacted for comment but had not responded at the time of going to press.