Member

However, to reassure the noble Lords, the Government are advancing a range of initiatives aimed at strengthening the special constabulary, in particular bolstering neighbourhood policing through improving diversity, as we have heard, embedding community policing in the communities—because so many of the special constables live in the communities that they help police—and creating pathways for long-term recruitment into formal police forces. As we have heard from the noble Lord, Lord Hogan-Howe, one in four special constables goes on to be full-time police men and women. We are introducing a neighbourhood policing guarantee, which will deploy thousands of additional police officers, police community support officers and special constables to our streets. This initiative aims to restore patrols in town centres across the country—and, indeed, our cities—thus enhancing community safety and security.