HAMPSHIRE Constabulary is set for its biggest employment boost in five years.

Simon Hayes, Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, has confirmed this morning that they will be employing 108 new staff.

The new officers will be mainly working in the neighbourhood policing sector in rural and urban areas across the county and Mr Hayes said they are able to announce the decision now because of the latest Government spending review.

He said: “This is a very exciting day and I hope police officers and Hampshire Constabulary staff will back this.

“Hampshire Constabulary has done its bit for austerity, we have had more than £80million in cuts over the last five years and we still managed to maintain a policing service.

“To be able to increase the number by as much as this means that we can continue to sustain a police force and it’s going to build a future for Hampshire Constabulary.

“We can do this now because of the Government spending review a few weeks ago, not because we are getting any more money but it is staying the same.

“We have been in talks with the home secretary for two years about this. We have spoken to the public and they have reinforced what I believed, that communities are reassured by a police presence. I hope that the public will welcome this.”