THE number of staff employed by Dorset Police has increased this year.

In March, there were the equivalent of 1,263 full-time officers in Dorset – a drop of three on March 2017.

However once police community support officers and administrative staff are included the total staff increased by four per cent over the past year.

And the Home Office figures show that more time is being spent on frontline policing – 1,054 officers were available for frontline duties in March this year, up 36 from 2017.

Nevertheless, the number of police officers across England and Wales is at the lowest level since 1996, and the Police Federation has warned that "policing in the UK is on the critical list".

Ché Donald, from the federation board, said: "Thanks to government funding cuts, we now have the lowest number of police officers since 1996.

"The figures show we have lost more than 21,300 officers since 2010 – that’s a drop of 15 per cent and the numbers keep going down every year.

"We have a Government who recently launched their Serious Violence Strategy – yet failed to make one single mention of the falling numbers of officers, which they were rightly criticised for.

"You would think that every time we have the same conversations about rising crime, particularly violent crime, it would be a wake-up call for the Government.

"But instead it just feels like we are sleepwalking into a nightmare."

The latest figures show recorded crime overall is up by 10 per cent, and violent crime up 16 per cent, in Dorset.

A Home Office report says government funding for Dorset Police decreased by two per cent between the 2015-16 and 2018-19 financial years.

Overall funding, however, increased by five per cent, as council tax payers picked up the bill with a 14 per cent increase in the precept they paid.

Minister for Policing Nick Hurd said: "The number of people joining police forces is at a 10-year high and demonstrates that policing is still a desirable and sought-after career.

"Decisions regarding the number of officers and how they are deployed are a matter for Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables.

"They are best placed to understand how to meet the needs of local communities.

"However, I’ve spoken to every force about the changing demand they face and we are helping with a £460 million increase in overall funding 2018-19, including increased funding to tackle counter-terrorism and increased funding for local policing through council tax precept."