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1 POLICE SERYICE STRENGTH (a) As at 31 March 2007, there were 232,948 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff working in the 43 police forces of England and Wales. Police officers accounted for 61 per cent of this total, police community support officers six per cent, traffic wardens 0.3 per cent, designated officers 0.7 per cent (see text box below) and other police staff 32 per cent (Table A and Figurę 2).

(b) In addition, there were 14,021 special constables providing a voluntary police resource to police forces and local communities in England and Wales. Special constables provide at least four hours a week to their force but do not have contracted hours, hence their numbers are shown here as headcount rather than full-time equivalent (Table 11).

Figurę 2: Police service strength by type of police worker as at 31 March 2007, England and Wales

Traffic Wardens 0.3%

Police Staff 32.0%

Police Officers 61.2%

Designated

Officers

0.7%

Police Community Support Officers 6%

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