Home Office · 8 May 20159 June 2017

Police officers (full-time equivalent) during the Conservative 2015–2017 government

Year ending March 2015Year ending March 2017 · 2 periods

3.2%4,050 officers (FTE)

Police officers (full-time equivalent) fell by 3.2% over the period, from 127,192 officers (FTE) (Year ending March 2015, the level when the government took office) to 123,142 (Year ending March 2017, the last complete period before it left office).

  1. Inherited level Year ending March 2015: 127,192
  2. Level when it left Year ending March 2017: 123,142
  3. method: latest complete period before start / before end

Changes during this period do not by themselves show what the government caused. Statistics reflect many influences, including earlier decisions, the economy and how the data is collected.

Police officers (full-time equivalent): Year ending March 2003 to Year ending March 2026LabourLabourLabourLabourCoalitionCoalitionConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabour050k100k20052010201520202025Year ending March 2003: 132,509 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2004: 138,468 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2005: 141,059 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2006: 141,523 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2007: 141,893 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2008: 141,157 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2009: 143,769 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2010: 143,734 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2011: 139,110 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2012: 134,100 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2013: 129,584 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2014: 127,909 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2015: 127,192 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2016: 124,066 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2017: 123,142 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2018: 122,405 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2019: 123,189 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2020: 129,110 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2021: 135,301 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2022: 140,228 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2023: 147,434 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2024: 147,745 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2025: 146,452 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026Year ending March 2026: 145,886 officers (FTE) · published 22 July 2026

Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Definition and caveats

The number of full-time equivalent police officers in the 43 territorial forces of England and Wales as at 31 March, including officers on career breaks and parental leave and officers seconded in.

Doesn’t measure: Special constables, police staff, PCSOs, British Transport Police, or officers seconded to central services; nor headcount.