Kentish Express Ashford & District
Police struggle to recruit 24 more armed officers
Kent crime commissioner Matthew Scott says there needs to be a review of how firearms officers are recruited after it emerged the force is struggling to appoint 24 new ones.
Mr Scott said the force was facing challenges in meeting a target to appoint additional firearms officers to counter the heightened terrorist threat in the UK.
His predecessor Ann Barnes put up the force council tax by 3.4% this year to help recruitment after the government said it expected all forces to increase by half their firearms contingent.
That followed the terrorist attacks in Paris.
Mr Scott said that Kent was competing with other forces, notably the Met Police, which is also trying to increase their numbers.
While he was confident the force would eventually meet its target, he said there was a case for a reviewing the ways in which forces managed recruitment.
He said: “We are looking at ways we can recruit more firearms officers to Kent because as you’ll appreciate everyone is trying to do the same thing at the same time.”
He added: “Next door, we have a force in London which has the financial flexibility to recruit officers. We will meet the contingent of at least 24 and taxpayers will be getting what they have paid for.”
Asked if he would be approaching the Home Office for financial help, he said: “I think more generally there needs to be a look at how firearms officers and the service is provided because there are a number of challenges.
“At the end of the day, the people we ask to come forward to do this volunteer to do so – we can’t mandate a police officer to carry a firearm.”
He added: “We need to reassure officers they get the training and support they need when they pick up a firearm, they have got the support they need.
“So, it is a challenge. There are particular issues we need to address and we will do everything we can to make sure we have the contingent to keep Kent safe.”
Speaking at a conference last year, Kent chief constable Alan Pughsley said terrorist attacks were changing how forces operated.
“We absolutely need more firearms officers, they are the first response.”
Some officers are reluctant to put themselves forward because of concerns they know they are likely to be the subject of potentially lengthy investigations following any incident.