West Midlands Police to recruit more than 1,000 new staff

Credit: PA Images

West Midlands Police is recruiting more than 1,000 police officers, PCSOs and staff.

Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson has announced plans to take on 1,150 new starters over the next three years.

The move comes despite the force facing the biggest cuts in the country and receiving £2.5 million less from the government again this year.

The application process will start in the autumn. The force says the move is to put specialist staff in place to tackle the new threats we now face.

Mr Jamieson says the recruitment of more than 1,000 officers and staff shows that they have the right priorities for the force despite the cuts.

He also says it will help make the force look more like the people it serves.

Credit: PA Images

The new intake will include 800 new PCs, 200 specialist staff in a range of roles and 150 PCSOs to maintain their numbers.

In 2014 the force trained up 450 officers with many successful applicants on the beat towards the end of last year.