More Police Officers to Be Recruited Across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight

More police officers are set to be recruited across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight after the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) confirmed funding for 36 additional posts, despite ongoing pressures on national police funding.

Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones announced the expansion following a unanimous vote by the Hampshire Police & Crime Panel at a meeting held on Monday 2 February at Hampshire County Council. The new intake will take the total number of officers recruited during her tenure to 851.

The latest recruitment will include 16 new Neighbourhood Police Officers, five additional Local Bobbies—bringing their total to 119—and further frontline officers aimed at boosting visibility and community safety across the region.

Announcing the decision, Donna Jones said:

“In spite of under inflation increases by the government and hikes in costs for forensics and other vital policing services, I’m maintaining my pledge to recruit more police; we still don’t have enough. The only way to make communities safer and protect people is to prioritise the budget in employing more police.

“I’m still battling against an unacceptable reduction in police officer numbers that occurred before I was the PCC. I will not stop until we have the balance right. I will reduce other spending if need be, in order to grow officer numbers. I won’t settle for anything less.”

The PCC confirmed that the increase in officer numbers will be delivered while keeping the council tax rise to under 30p per week for the majority of households. Around 61% of residents fall into council tax bands A to C, meaning most will pay less than this amount.

Jones said setting this year’s policing budget had been particularly challenging due to what she described as inadequate funding from central government.

She said:

“It is a real kick in the teeth to find out the government’s grant settlement for the next financial year doesn’t even cover the police pay rise, which was announced by the Home Secretary in September. Local people are having to pay for the pay rise through local taxation. The pay rise is always met by the Home Office. This is very disappointing, and quite frankly, not fair.

“Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will receive a grant increase of just 3% whereas other forces such as the Metropolitan Police (4.4%) and Kent (4.7%) will receive more. Without local taxpayers support, the force would lose 250 officers. This is not sustainable.”

She added that reserves would be used to support the force alongside the council tax increase.

“That’s why it’s been a difficult budget to balance. I will increase the rate people pay on average by less than 30p per week, but I will also draw on reserves to ensure the Constabulary receives the investment it needs to provide the very best in British policing.

“An additional 36 police officer posts will be added to the ranks, on top of the extra 815 officers funded since 2020.

“Residents rightly expect an exceptional service from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary, and my role is to ensure that this year’s policing budget can deliver this and value for money for taxpayers. Crime has fallen 11% over the last two years and knife crime has reduced by over 27%, in spite of this there is still more to do and that’s my focus.”

Chief Constable Alexis Boon welcomed the investment, saying it would help build on recent improvements in performance.

He said:

“The public have made it clear that they expect more from their police service, and we share that ambition.

“Our performance in recent years gives us confidence that, with the right support, we can continue to improve and deliver. As national funding shifts, local backing becomes increasingly vital.

“Our plans for the year ahead focus on putting more officers on the streets, making smarter use of technology, ensuring our workforce is as productive as possible, and strengthening the care and support we provide to our officers and staff. Preparing the organisation to meet future challenges means investing not only in what we do, but in the people who deliver it.

“In return, my commitment is a police service that builds on the significant progress already made, supports and protects its people, and continues to use every pound of public money wisely.”

The announcement follows a public consultation on the police precept, which received more than 4,000 responses. Over 92% of respondents supported an increase in council tax to help fund policing.

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s total budget for 2026–27 will be £516 million, with 41% funded by local taxpayers. The £15 annual increase for a Band D property is expected to raise an additional £11 million for policing.

According to the funding settlement, government grant funding will rise from £292.9 million to £301.8 million—an increase of £8.9 million, or 3%. This falls below the approved police pay rise of 4.2% and non-pay inflation of 3.2%, representing a real-terms reduction in government funding. The force remains one of the five lowest-funded in England and Wales and continues to receive below the national average per resident for policing.