Policing will receive up to £15.8 billion to build back safer and
cut crime, the government will announce today (Thursday 17
December).
The 2021 to 2022 funding package will include over £400 million
to recruit 20,000 extra officers by 2023, building on the success
of the first year of the recruitment campaign – which has already
delivered almost 6,000 additional police officers.
Alongside getting more officers out on the street, the funding
settlement will enable policing to tackle serious violence and
increase the number of specialist officers tackling
counter-terrorism and serious organised crime, including child
sexual abuse and drug trafficking.
The 2021 to 2022 funding package means an increase of up to £636
million on last year, should PCCs take full advantage of police
precept flexibility.
Home Secretary said:
We have asked more of the police than ever before during the
coronavirus pandemic – the British people and I are extremely
grateful for their dedication.
I am absolutely committed to giving the police the resources
they need – this funding package delivers on that.
It will allow us to continue to put more police on the streets,
and reduce crime as we build back safer from the pandemic.
Funding for Counter-Terrorism policing will total up to £914
million, including money for armed policing and more officers. In
addition, Counter-Terrorism policing will receive £32 million to
establish a new Counter-Terrorism Operations Centre to keep the
country safe from a range of threats.
The government also recognises that, during the coronavirus
pandemic, huge demands have been made of the police.
That is why it has provided additional support throughout,
including £30m of surge funding to help forces step up COVID-19
enforcement activities in 2020 to 2021, and why it reimbursed all
additional personal protective equipment (PPE) purchased between
March and July.
Huge demands have also been made on the public, the vast majority
of whom have been following the rules to help keep everyone safe.
Just as police will continue to enforce the regulations, the
public should continue to do their bit to stop the spread of the
virus.
The publication of the provisional funding settlement opens a
period of consultation. The final police funding settlement will
be debated in Parliament ahead of the new financial year.
