To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police officers, (b) police community support officers and (c) civilian staff there were in Northamptonshire Constabulary in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2008. (308706)

There were 1,177 police officers in Northamptonshire constabulary as at 31 March 1997 and 1,264 police officers as at 31 March 2008.

Police community support officers were not introduced until 2002-03. There were 12 police community support officers in Northamptonshire constabulary as at 31 March 2003 and 159 as at 31 March 2008.

There were 554 civilian staff in Northamptonshire constabulary as at 31 March 1997 and 979 civilian staff as at 31 March 2008.

This and other related data are published annually as part of the annual Police Service Strength Home Office Statistical Bulletin. The latest bulletin can be found at:

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/policeorg1.html

and bulletins for this and previous years are deposited in the Library of the House.