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Kent Police serves a population of approximately 1.8 million people across a large geographic area consisting of multiple towns (some bordering London), rural areas and coastal towns along its 343-mile coastline. There is a mixture of wealthy communities alongside acute deprivation. Ambitious development plans exist across the county including the new Ebbsfleet garden city will see the development of 15,000 homes.

As the UK’s gateway to Europe, approximately 34 million passengers move through Kent annually. Freight vehicle movements average 10,000 per day along the second largest motorway network in the UK. With the addition of managing freight as a result of any industrial action in France, this is a significant policing commitment.

Kent’s proximity to Europe presents additional policing requirements; transient organised criminality including terrorism, drugs importation, people trafficking, slavery, economic migrants and asylum seekers are key challenges. Cross-border activity presents further demand; particularly London-based gangs establishing in some towns.

Kent Police has a long-standing collaboration with Essex Police providing joint serious crime investigation as well as support services. We work closely with partners at a county, unitary and district level, ensuring adult and child safeguarding and tackling child sexual exploitation. This includes an integrated multi-agency central referral unit as well as established community safety partnerships.

In 2022/23 the force dealt with 942,054 calls for service (including 999, 101, online crime reporting and live chat) and recorded 174, 487 crimes. Kent Police is working towards achieving a strength full time equivalent (FTE) of 4,223 police officers which needs to be achieved at both the end of September 2023 and March 2024. The Force has a current strength FTE (as at 31 July 2023) of 2,437 members of police staff and 90 PCSOs. This is supplemented by 225 members of the Special Constabulary, approximately 265 volunteers and 408 members in the Volunteer Police Cadets programme.

Kent Police has a gross budget of £401.10 million (£350.28 million net) of which £212.16m is funded from Police Grant. The force is one of the least well-funded under the 2006 police funding model, which takes no account of the unique threats and challenges to Kent as the frontier to Europe, its proximity to London and the resulting criminality, or that the rapid population growth as evidenced by the 2021 census data estimates.

Kent Police serves a population of approximately 1.8 million people across a large geographic area consisting of multiple towns (some bordering London), rural areas and coastal towns along its 343 mile coastline. There is a mixture of wealthy communities alongside acute deprivation. Ambitious development plans exist; the new Ebbsfleet garden city will see the development of 15,000 homes and London Resort Company Holdings is developing a theme park, estimated to attract 40,000 visitors per day.

As the UK’s gateway to Europe, approximately 34 million passengers move through Kent annually. Freight vehicle movements average 10,000 per day along the second largest motorway network in the UK. With the addition of managing freight as a result of any industrial action in France, this is a significant policing commitment.

Kent’s proximity to Europe presents additional policing requirements; transient organised criminality including terrorism, drugs importation, people trafficking, slavery, economic migrants and asylum seekers are key challenges. Cross-border activity presents further demand; particularly London-based gangs establishing in some towns.

Kent Police has a mature collaboration with Essex Police providing joint serious crime investigation as well as support services. We work closely with partners at a county, unitary and district level, ensuring adult and child safeguarding and tackling child sexual exploitation. This includes an integrated multi-agency central referral unit as well as established community safety partnerships.

In 2020/21 the force dealt with 772,663 calls for service and recorded 165,368 crimes. Kent Police is working towards achieving a strength full time equivalent (FTE) of 3,950 police officers by 31 March 2022. The Force has a current strength FTE (as at 31 December 2021) of 2,310 members of police staff and 318 PCSOs. This is supplemented by 345 members of the Special Constabulary, approximately 415 volunteers and 435 members in the Volunteer Police Cadets programme.

Kent Police has a gross budget of £401.10 million (£350.28 million net) of which £212.16m is funded from Police Grant.