On 1 February 2018, the Shared Data Unit out of around 11,000 police officers lost from 2012-17 across forces in England and Wales, 1,500 worked in neighbourhoods - around one in seven.
At the same time around nearly one in three PCSOs - originally intended to be the "eyes and ears" of the community - were also axed, according to our analysis of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Office figures.
The government said it had promised an extra Β£450m for policing starting next year and nature of crime was changing; officers were now needed to deal with growing problems in non-traditional areas like online fraud and identity theft.
Local campaigners said a visible police presence in communities deterred criminals and helped to gather intelligence.
The Shared Data Hub makes data journalism available to news organisations across the media industry, as part of a partnership between the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and the News Media Association. Stories generated by the partnership included:
- Liverpool Echo:
- Belfast Telegraph:
- Hull Daily Mail:
- East Anglian Daily Times:
- Planet Radio:
- Lancashire Post:
- Portsmouth: The News:
- Portsmouth: The News:
- Dorset Echo:
- Basingstoke Gazette:
- Sunderland Echo:
- Devon Live:
- Cheshire: The Leader:
- The Huddersfield Daily Examiner:
- West Bridgford Wire:
- Wigan Today:
- 2BR Lancashire:
- Northamptonshire Telegraph:
- Bradford: Telegraph & Argus:
- Pirate FM:
- Cumbria: Times & Star:
- Lincolnshire Reporter:
- Grantham Matters:
- Cambridge News:
- Southern Daily Echo:
- Wales: Daily Post:
- Lancashire Telegraph:
- Chronicle Live:
- Daily Gazette and Essex County Standard:
- Northamptonshire Telegraph:
- Cornwall Live:
- Mix 96:
- Lincolnshire Live:
- Leeds Live:
- Shields Gazette:
- Hartlepool Mail:
- Somerset Live:
- Gloucestershire Live:
- Chronicle Live:
- Eastern Daily Press:
- Spirit FM:
- Falmouth Packet:
- The Lowestoft Journal:
- Beccles & Bungay Journal:
- Rossendale Free Press:
- Bristol Post:
- Worcester News:
- Cambrian News:
- The story was also covered by Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 5 live, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 - World at One, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Wales, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Kent, Good Morning Ulster, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio London, Midlands Today, North West Today, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Somerset, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Berkshire, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Wiltshire, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Devon, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Cornwall, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Nottingham, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Lincolnshire, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Shropshire, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Stoke, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ WM, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Lancashire, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Hereford & Worcester, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Coventry & Warwickshire