ONE hundred new officers are set be taken on by Lancashire Police.

The recruitment drive will be the first time in five years external candidates have been able to apply to join the force.

However the number of total officers in the county is still expected to fall by 700 by 2017.

Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw said: “This decision gives us an excellent opportunity to bring new people into the force, and it also provides us with a chance to ensure we continue to develop a force which is representative of the communities it serves.

“But I must be very clear, I told residents I could not give them more police officers, and that remains the case.

“The number of officers in the force will reduce by 700 overall by 2017 but as we downsize, the chief constable and I have a duty to maintain the resilience of the force.

“That means making sure we do not lose more than 700 officers through natural turnover – and that will be the case if we do not act now to recruit.

“This recruitment window does not detract from the difficulties the force is facing, however it demonstrates our commitment to maintaining the strength of Lancashire’s frontline policing provision – an area of policing which is highly valued by the public.”

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DCC Andy Rhodes added: “We need to recruit to remain operationally resilient and at the same time we need to be representative of the communities we serve.

“We know people want to join us as police officers and they have been unable to do so for nearly five years but now is their chance.

“There will be fierce competition which is great news for us and for the communities of Lancashire, as it means we will only accept the best.”

The recruitment window will open at 11am tomorrow, and the force will issue 500 recruitment packs to candidates.

Call 0845 155 5666 for a recruitment pack.