A NORTH-EAST police force has revealed plans to recruit a further 52 community support officers.
Outgoing Northumbria Police Chief Constable Crispian Strachan said the force had secured Home Office funding to recruit the extra officers, who will join in April.
The news was contained in a report to this week's meeting of Northumbria Police Authority.
Authority chairman Councillor Mick Henry said: "This is excellent news. Community support officers are doing superb work in the communities in which they are based and all the indications show that they are very popular with the public."
The authority also revealed plans to take more of its meetings on the road around the force area.
Following a successful experiment last month in which the authority met in Blyth Town Hall, members said they were keen to extend the process.
The next venue is likely to be in Sunderland.
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