More than 5,000 police officers in England and Wales quit or were sacked from their roles within the last year, which is the highest since records began.

In the year to March, 5,151 officers left after a voluntary resignation which is the most since comparable records began 17 years ago.

Overall, 2,207 were recorded in 2006/07 when it was first conducted whilst the previous highest figure was 4,668 in 2022/23, according to PA news agency analysis of Home Office data.

Additionally, 365 officers were dismissed or had their contract terminated in the last 12-month period which was up 63% year-on-year from 224.

Police looking to bolster recruitment in England and Wales

According to figures from the Home Office, there were 147,746 full-time police officers in England and Wales as of March 2024 which was up 0.2% on the previous peak a year ago when there were 147,434.

However, the figures also indicate how the number of officers has reduced in some ranks and positions, including close to 1,000 fewer constables than a year ago (down 947 from 115,923 to 114,976) and a 267 drop in the number of PCSOs (from 7,806 to 7,539).

In the year to March, 3,964 officers who left police forces in England and Wales had less than five years’ service, accounting for 43% of leavers in the period.

This is higher than the proportion of officers in post at the start of the year with the equivalent length of service.

Of this, 16% (1,495) had served in the police for less than a year – the equivalent of nearly one in six of all officers who left in the 12 months to March.

Last week Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said he was worried that his force was a “shrinking organisation”.

Speaking as he launched a recruitment campaign to try to boost falling officer numbers, Sir Mark told LBC “recruiting and budgets” were both part of the issue.

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A Home Office spokesperson said: “It is vitally important that we restore the relationship between police and communities.

“To do that, we have committed to supporting thousands of extra police, PCSOs and special constables in communities across England and Wales.

“Through our neighbourhood policing guarantee, we will start to rebuild that trust and confidence the public should have in the police to keep them safe.”