Civometry

Home Office · officers (FTE)

Police officers (full-time equivalent) 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): 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
GovernmentInheritedLeft at / latestChange during government
Labour 2024–5 July 2024 – present147,745Year ending March 2024145,886Year ending March 2026↓ 1.3%−1,859
Conservative 2019–202413 December 2019 – 5 July 2024123,189Year ending March 2019147,745Year ending March 2024↑ 19.9%+24,556
Conservative 2017–20199 June 2017 – 13 December 2019123,142Year ending March 2017123,189Year ending March 2019↑ 0.0%+47
Conservative 2015–20178 May 2015 – 9 June 2017127,192Year ending March 2015123,142Year ending March 2017↓ 3.2%−4,050
Coalition 2010–201511 May 2010 – 8 May 2015143,734Year ending March 2010127,192Year ending March 2015↓ 11.5%−16,542
Labour 2005–20106 May 2005 – 11 May 2010141,059Year ending March 2005143,734Year ending March 2010↑ 1.9%+2,675
Labour 2001–20058 June 2001 – 5 May 2005No complete period was published before this government took office.
Labour 1997–20012 May 1997 – 7 June 2001No complete period was published before this government took office.
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.