Revealed: Areas of the UK with the fewest number of police officers

The areas of the UK with the lowest number of police officers have been revealed.

The City of London had the fewest officers, with just four per 1,000 of the population. Leicester had the second-lowest with five while Bristol, Luton, Sheffield and Swindon were joint third with six.

Solihull, near Birmingham, Bolton and Wolverhampton had the highest number of officers at 61, 38 and 35 respectively, according to the analysis of Office for National Statistics, government and police data, carried out by security company ADT.

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There is some evidence to suggest that where officer numbers are higher, rates of certain types of crime fall. A US-based study published in 2018 found that a 10 per cent increase in police employment rates reduces violent crime rates by 13 per cent and property crime rates by 7 per cent.

The UK government claims that police numbers are at their highest-ever level.

Before the 2019 election, former prime minister Boris Johnson pledged to recruit 20,000 extra officers over three years after David Cameron, one of his predecessors, cut their numbers by around the same amount during his time in office.

Current PM Rishi Sunak kept the pledge which was hit in April, with the government saying police numbers were at their highest ever levels, although record numbers are also leaving the job.

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According to a Press Association analysis of Home Office data, published last month, nearly 9,200 officers left the police service in the year to March - up over 1,000 on the previous 12 months, and the proportion departing through voluntary resignation is rocketing.

Until last year, retirement was the dominant reason for losing officers, but now most choose to quit following warnings of rising anger over pay, working conditions and treatment by the government.

Office for National Statistics data published last month showed that crime had decreased by 15 per cent overall, although some offences had risen, such as theft by 24 per cent.

The cost of living squeeze, which has seen energy bills and the price of food soar, has been blamed for the increase in shoplifting.

Over the past 12 months food prices overall have increased by 17 per cent, with the price of some meats, cheese and yogurts doubling

Supermarkets have called on police to do more to tackle shoplifting and over the weekend John Lewis said it will offer officers free coffee and discounted food in a bid to tackle the issue.

The upmarket shops hope the presence of uniformed police and patrol cars being on site will deter thieves in the same way motorists slow down on the roads when they see officers.

Last month the boss of Co-op warned that shop crime was out of control after one store was looted three times in a single day.

Data released by the supermarket chain revealed it had recorded its highest-ever levels of retail crime, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour this year.

The ADT analysis, based on Office for National Statistics, government and police data, also found that Gateshead, which is on Tyne’s southern bank opposite Newcastle, has the highest number of CCTV cameras in the UK.

The postcode DE1 1, located in Derby, has the highest crime rate of any UK postcode at 713 crimes per 1,000 people.

In comparison, the postcode sector with the lowest crime rate is CW12 3, which is in East Cheshire, with a crime rate of 6 per 1,000 people.

Top 10 areas with highest number of officers