A record number of officers have helped Cambridgeshire Police become one of the first forces in the country to hit its recruitment target. 

The county’s police force said it has taken on 500 new officers in the last three years on its way to a total of 1,756, which is 24 more than its original target. 

The intake comes amid a government campaign to recruit 20,000 police officers nationally was launched in September 2019, as Cambridgeshire Police were told to hire 206 extra officers. 

A police spokesperson said: “The pre-uplift baseline was 1,526 officers, with 206 extra officers allocated as part of the recruitment drive. 

“These figures are on top of the ‘normal’ anticipated recruitment levels, which ordinarily cater for retirements and those leaving for other reasons.” 

Of the 500 officers recruited in the last three years, Cambridgeshire Police found 218 of them were women and that more than 35pc of the current workforce are female. 

The number of officers from ethnic minority backgrounds has also risen to 4.8pc, up by 1.5pc in the last five years. 

READ MORE: 20 new police officers join Cambridgeshire Constabulary

Chief Constable Nick Dean said the new recruits have already had positive effects on policing across the county. 

He said: “It is great news for the force and the people of Cambridgeshire that we have hit our uplift target. 

“These extra officers are already contributing towards an enhanced policing service for the public and I have been delighted to hear about the positive effect they have been having.” 

Darryl Preston, Cambridgeshire’s police and crime commissioner, said the record numbers for officers are testament to the efforts of Mr Dean and the force. 

Mr Preston said: “I welcome the increase in diversity and will continue to support Mr Dean and his team to ensure our police service is representative of the communities it serves.”