Public Servant Lifestyle

London's Metropolitan Police Service is celebrating reaching a recruitment landmark of 30,000 police officers for the first time.

The most recent intake of recruits begins training at Hendon on the 19 of Jan and Commissioner Sir John Stevens, MPA Chair Toby Harris and the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, will all attend the attestation, together with representatives from the Police Federation and MPS staff associations.

Commissioner Sir John Stevens said: "Reaching a strength of 30,000 officers is a significant milestone for the Metropolitan Police Service and a tremendous achievement. Less than three years ago the Met had just 25,400 officers and our strength today demonstrates the enormous amount of work that has gone into making the Met an employer of choice. But the hard work will not stop here. Our aim is to reach a strength of 35,000 uniformed staff which will enable us to deliver the policing service London needs and deserves."

Policing Revolution

Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, added: "For years people have talked about the policing revolution in New York under Mayor Giuliani, but London now has its own policing revolution to be proud of. We have reached historic numbers of police in this city in a few short years and we are beginning to make a difference to the streets of London in the process. This is a major breakthrough in the fight against crime."

Over 3,500 new recruits will join the Met this year, with the same number having joined in 2002/3. This beats the recruiting position of any organisation in London and also includes the highest ever ratio of female and visible ethnic minority recruits in the Met's history. In the December 2003 recruit intake, female recruits made up 41% of the total and 29.4% of all recruits were from a visible ethnic minority background. These representations are set to further increase in 2004/5.

Toby Harris, Chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority said: "We have now reached the highest number of officers ever. This is a major achievement, and reflects the determination of the Metropolitan Police Authority and the Metropolitan Police Service to put more officers at the heart of policing London."

"More police officers on our streets, together with Police Community Support Officers, spells greater reassurance and a safer city for all Londoners. This year marks the 175th anniversary of the MPS and also the 30th anniversary of police recruits training at the Hendon Training School. It is also seventy years since the implementation of a police college for training purposes.

More information available in Professional Groups