NEWLY released figures show that 153 police officers have been recruited in North Yorkshire as part of a government’s pledge to put 20,000 more officers on the streets by March 2023.

Since the recruitment drive began in 2019, the 43 police forces across England and Wales have seen an additional 13,576 police officers recruited, some 68 per cent of its target.

The additional police for North Yorkshire follows a government’s Beating Crime Plan and Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which it says is aimed at reducing crime, protecting victims and making the country safer.

Thirsk and Malton MP Kevin Hollinrake has welcomed the moves and said: "From working with our local police force, I know just how valuable more police officers will be in helping crack down on crime in our local community.

“The additional recruits mean there are now 1,603 police officers in North Yorkshire, helping to pursue criminals, keep neighbourhoods safe, and reassure the law-abiding majority."

Police numbers now total 142,526 in England and Wales, with the government claiming 'record' police funding of £15.8 billion a year and it also delivering £70 million through the Safer Streets Fund to make neighbourhoods secure.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “When this Government took office in 2019, we made a promise to the British people to recruit 20,000 extra police officers to cut crime and keep communities safe - and we are delivering on that pledge.

"These extra officers are getting out on the streets helping to cut crime and protect communities up and down the country – and they are reflecting the communities they serve better than ever before, with the highest ever proportion of female officers and officers from diverse backgrounds out there making a difference."