Graphics: Fall in young police officers Police numbers are falling in England and Wales, with a drop of nearly 10,000 officers from 2009-10 to 2011-12. But it's the proportion of young officers that has fallen most dramatically - the number under 26 is down by nearly 50%. A slowdown in recruitment is one of the main causes. To see the figures for your area use the map and chart below. % change Up by 0-10% Down by less than 40% Down by 40-49% Down by 50-59% Down by 60-69% Down by 70% or more Where do you live? All of England and Wales Avon and Somerset Bedfordshire Cambridgeshire Cheshire Cleveland Cumbria Derbyshire Devon and Cornwall Dorset Durham Dyfed-Powys Essex Gloucestershire Greater Manchester Gwent Hampshire Hertfordshire Humberside Kent Lancashire Leicestershire Lincolnshire City of London Merseyside Metropolitan Police Norfolk Northamptonshire Northumbria North Wales North Yorkshire Nottinghamshire South Wales South Yorkshire Staffordshire Suffolk Surrey Sussex Thames Valley Warwickshire West Mercia West Midlands West Yorkshire Wiltshire Age of police, past three years Under 26 26 - 40 41 - 55 Over 55 6.2% officers under 26 4.6% officers under 26 3.5% officers under 26 Panel is now here!