THAMES Valley Police will be recruiting 'more diverse' officers.

In a bid to 'better reflect the community' the deputy chief constable has pledged to hire people from all demographics.

Six hundred of the new officers promised by Boris Johnson are expected to be recruited across the Thames Valley – which covers Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.

It's all part of the new prime minister's promise of hiring 20,000 new officers in the country.

It is understood it will be about three years before officers will be fully trained and working for the force.

Jason Hogg said: "We are also looking to take advantage of this 'once in a generation' opportunity to shift the demographics of our force to better reflect the communities that we serve.

"We know that across Thames Valley 14 per cent of the population is from the BAME [Black, Asian and minority ethnic] community but at present we only have five per cent BAME officers in our force."

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He added: "Improving our diversity is a major focus for us and we are putting in place a Positive Action and Engagement team that will be proactive in seeking out and recruiting the best talent in our local communities."

Mr Hogg explained that more officers were to be welcomed, but that other areas would need a push to 'cope with the increase'.

He explained: "Increasing the number of police officers in our force takes more than just having great candidates.

"To cope with the increase numbers we also need to have training facilities and trainers in place, new uniforms, IT equipment, vehicles and buildings."

The chief constable, John Campbell, added that the new officer boost would be used to 'stop crime happening' but agreed that the force needed more resources to prepare for them.

He said: "This is a very welcome development for both Thames Valley Police and for the communities we serve.

"We know that crime is becoming more complex and maintaining the quality of investigation in a digital age requires more resources.

"This uplift in our numbers will help us continue protecting the most vulnerable in our communities and stop crime from happening in the first place."

It has already been promised by the deputy police and crime commissioner Matthew Barber that the new officers will be used on the frontline to tackle community issues such as shoplifting.

Mr Hogg added: “Policing provides a unique career that allows recruits to make a difference in their local communities and create a safe environment for all.

"I would encourage anyone who is looking for a challenging and stimulating working environment to visit our new careers website to learn more about how to join Thames Valley Police.”

Thames Valley Police said the official number of officer role openings had not yet been confirmed.