Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones announced on 2 February 2026 that funding has been approved to recruit 36 additional police officers across the Hampshire and Isle of Wight area, including deployments focused on urban centres such as Portsmouth. The recruitment is part of the 2026/27 budget and is intended to increase visible neighbourhood policing while responding to a national decline in officer numbers.
The Commissioner said the move brings the total number of additional officer posts funded during her time in office to 851. That 851 figure refers to additional officer posts the PCC has funded since she took office and includes roles recruited both to replace leavers and to create new capacity; the precise split between net active officers on the streets and those in training or replacing departing officers is not publicly specified and should be confirmed with the Constabulary for operational headcount details.
Local reporting and the PCC’s budget papers show the expansion is being funded primarily through an increase in the local council tax precept. Donna Jones has said that local funds are required because central government grant increases have not fully covered rising policing costs, including pay and forensics, leaving PCCs to draw on council tax to maintain officer numbers.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary will manage the new recruits, who are expected to join during the 2026/27 financial year. The recruitment follows other local initiatives to improve public access to policing, including plans and actions to reopen police station front counters across the area.
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