Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has unveiled plans to recruit 3,000 additional neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs across England and Wales over the next year. The move aims to tackle rising anti-social behaviour and end what he called the "postcode lottery" in policing. Of the new recruits, 2,500 will be police officers, with nearly 400 joining as Police Community Support Officers.

The announcement is part of a wider plan to increase neighbourhood policing by 13,000 officers by 2029. A £66 million "summer crime blitz" will see increased patrols in town centres, particularly during peak times, to target offences such as shoplifting, phone theft and assaults on retail staff. An additional £200 million will also be spent on policing in areas like Cambridgeshire, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Somerset.

Labour says this investment will ensure visible policing returns to communities, following years of declining on-the-ground presence. Sir Keir highlighted that 90% of crimes currently go unsolved and vowed to put officers back on the beat, not behind desks. Every police force will also have an anti-social behaviour lead to work with residents and businesses on local action plans.

However, the plan comes amid warnings from police chiefs of funding gaps and possible cuts to existing roles. The government insists forces will receive additional resources to support recruitment, with over £1 billion in extra funding promised for this year.