7 April 2026

More police are back on the streets across the country after the Government hit its target to boost neighbourhood policing ahead of schedule.

Published today, new figures show over 3,000 additional neighbourhood officers and PCSOs have been put into local roles since April last year, two months earlier than planned. For Cleveland Police, the increase stands at 48 additional neighbourhood officers and PCSOs, strengthening local teams focused on visible policing and community safety. The move is part of a wider push to tackle everyday crime like shoplifting, phone theft and antisocial behaviour that communities say blight daily life.

Luke Myer, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, said:

“People across Teesside tell me the same thing time and again, that they want to see more police on their streets, tackling the issues that affect their daily lives.

“This increase is a step in the right direction and will help make a real difference in keeping our communities safe.”

The impact is already being felt. A national Winter of Action saw nearly 18,000 arrests across more than 600 towns and cities, including thousands linked to retail crime, street crime and violent offences.

The Government says this is just the start, with plans to deliver 13,000 more neighbourhood policing roles by the end of this Parliament as part of its Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones said:

“Neighbourhood policing was hollowed out under the previous government. Communities were left to face an epidemic of everyday crime that all too often seemed to go unpunished.

“To make matters worse, too many officers have been stuck behind desks in support roles when we need them out on our streets.

“We’re delivering the biggest reforms to policing in over 200 years and, crucially, putting 13,000 more neighbourhood officers where they belong – on the beat and fighting crime in our communities. The government will halve knife crime within a decade, saving lives and protecting communities.”

Across the country, forces are also rolling out new antisocial behaviour action plans, with named local leads and a stronger focus on working with residents to tackle issues on the ground.

For communities across Teesside, it marks a shift back to visible policing, with more officers in neighbourhoods and a renewed focus on the crimes people see every day.