350 West Midlands Police officers lost in past year

Between December 1, 2014 and November 30, 2015, a total of 359 officers left the force - 220 of which were of retirement age.

The force was unable to recruit new officers from 2010 to 2015 thanks to Government implemented cuts, which seriously damaged its budget.

However, the process was restarted in the middle of last year, meaning it is already halfway into its new recruitment drive.

So far, 450 new recruits have joined the force and have been funded by using reserved cash.

A pledge from West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson and his predecessor Bob Jones secured the funding but is is unknown how the new police budgets will cope with the influx of new officers, especially as bigger intakes are due to take place later this year.

Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said: "I have already committed to completing the recruitment of 450 new officers by the end of the next financial year. Those new officers will play a crucial role in the future of West Midlands Police.

"We are recruiting more officers than any force other than the Met. That has only been achieved because of the tough decisions taken and priorities made."

Mr Jamieson continued: "It is my ambition to put in place rolling recruitment so that we have a proper balance between younger and more experienced officers going forward."

In October last year, West Midlands Police revealed that they had recruited 82 young people into the force, marking the end of the job freeze, prompted by the spending cuts. The officers commenced a 18 week intensive training course before hitting the streets in February 2015 , with 80 more recruits joining in the summer and another 71 commencing so-called 'constable college.' These 233 new officers are now fully trained and already in the community, to try and combat the shortfall.

By November, a further 20 recruits were taken on by the force, 35 per cent of which were from an ethnic background, including four Asian officers, and two mixed race officers.

West Midlands Police's recruitment programme continues unto 2016 with a fourth cohort of trainee officers expected to become operational by April.