Civometry

Home Office · officers (FTE)

Police officers (full-time equivalent, excluding long-term absence) under each government

The full published series with each government’s time in office shaded. The table gives the level each government inherited and the last complete period before it left. Changes describe the period, not a cause. Definitions and caveats are on the metric page.

Police officers (full-time equivalent, excluding long-term absence): Year ending March 1996 to Year ending March 2026ConservativeLabourLabourLabourLabourLabourLabourCoalitionCoalitionConservativeConservativeConservativeLabour050k100k200020102020Year ending March 1996: 124,844 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 1997: 125,051 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 1998: 124,756 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 1999: 123,841 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2000: 121,956 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2001: 123,476 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2002: 127,267 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2003: 131,426 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2004: 137,105 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2005: 139,491 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2006: 139,631 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2007: 139,063 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2008: 138,585 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2009: 140,630 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2010: 140,661 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2011: 136,051 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2012: 130,826 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2013: 126,278 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2014: 124,685 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2015: 123,832 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2016: 120,664 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2017: 119,700 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2018: 119,068 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2019: 120,070 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2020: 126,031 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2021: 132,431 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2022: 137,260 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2023: 144,296 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2024: 144,557 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2025: 143,079 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2026: 142,273 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026
Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value
GovernmentInheritedLeft at / latestChange during government
Labour 2024–5 July 2024 – present144,557Year ending March 2024142,273Year ending March 2026↓ 1.6%−2,284
Conservative 2019–202413 December 2019 – 5 July 2024120,070Year ending March 2019144,557Year ending March 2024↑ 20.4%+24,487
Conservative 2017–20199 June 2017 – 13 December 2019119,700Year ending March 2017120,070Year ending March 2019↑ 0.3%+370
Conservative 2015–20178 May 2015 – 9 June 2017123,832Year ending March 2015119,700Year ending March 2017↓ 3.3%−4,131
Coalition 2010–201511 May 2010 – 8 May 2015140,661Year ending March 2010123,832Year ending March 2015↓ 12.0%−16,830
Labour 2005–20106 May 2005 – 11 May 2010139,491Year ending March 2005140,661Year ending March 2010↑ 0.8%+1,170
Labour 2001–20058 June 2001 – 5 May 2005123,476Year ending March 2001139,491Year ending March 2005↑ 13.0%+16,015
Labour 1997–20012 May 1997 – 7 June 2001125,051Year ending March 1997123,476Year ending March 2001↓ 1.3%−1,575
Conservative 1992–199710 April 1992 – 2 May 1997No complete period was published before this government took office.
Conservative 1987–199212 June 1987 – 9 April 1992No complete period was published before this government took office.
Conservative 1983–198710 June 1983 – 11 June 1987No complete period was published before this government took office.
Conservative 1979–19834 May 1979 – 9 June 1983No complete period was published before this government took office.