Drive launched to recruit 200 Lancashire police officers

The announcement comes after years of cuts and reduced budgets which saw the loss of 800 officers and more than 400 other staff at Lancashire Police since 2008.

The new officers will replace staff who have either retired or are due to retire over the next 12 months.

Recruits “who have had life experience” are specifically being sought.

Desired skills include languages and the ability to solve problems.

And the force wants to attract people with technology skills and some from “caring backgrounds”.

Deputy Chief Constable Sunita Gamblin said: “It’s important we attract the right people from different backgrounds to help us keep people safe by responding to, meeting the needs of and understanding all cultures and lifestyles within Lancashire.

“Policing is highly rewarding. The rapid development of technology is changing the face of crime.

This career presents opportunities to develop in core services such as response, local policing and investigation with pathways that lead into specialisms such as CID, firearms, roads policing, dog handler and much more.”

Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw added: “This is an important investment in Lancashire police and into front line policing across the county.

“The public need to know that they are being policed by officers who understand and relate to them.

“We want to see applications from people of all backgrounds and it is a chance to recruit officers from under-represented communities.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to work for one of the best police forces in the country and play a key role in helping to keep the people of Lancashire safe.”

Last year, retiring chief constable Steve Finnigan said the force had been weakened by government austerity cuts.

In 2015 he described proposed budget cutbacks which would cost Lancashire Police £25m as “madness”:

Last March Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary voiced concern at the “perilous state” of policing in the UK and said community policing was suffering.

Get skilled...

Following the recruitment process, training will take place throughout 2018 and 2019 and the new officers will be posted right across Lancashire.Applications are welcomed from people with the following skills: “compassion, integrity, technology, languages and problem solving and who have the resilience to get to the root cause of a problem.”Applicants can apply online at Lancashire.police.uk/policeofficer until January 19.