Basic command unit data have been centrally collected since 2002-03, and the available data are given in the following table.
The requested data are published annually in the supplementary tables of the Home Office Statistical Bulletin series “Police Service Strength, England and Wales” copies of which are available online and in the Library of the House.
As at 31 March each year Police officers per 100,000 population 2003 215 2004 206 2005 177 2006 182 2007 180 2008 178 1 These figures are based on full-time equivalents that have been rounded to the nearest whole number, due to rounding there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of constituent items. Figures include those officers on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave.