CLEVELAND'S Police and Crime Commissioner has revealed 100 extra officers will be recruited on Teesside this year alongside an arsenal of new drones. 

Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Barry Coppinger revealed the additions at a meeting of Thornaby Town Council this week.

Councillors heard the new officers would be recruited this year with new drones lined up to come to the force in September.

The announcement comes after new Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged to recruit 20,000 officers to forces across the nation last week. 

Cleveland Police has lost 500 officers and 50 PCSOs since 2010. 

Mr Coppinger told Thornaby councillors they were “gradually get some of them back” – adding the force was also looking at ways of saving officer time and using new technology.

The Labour commissioner said: “We have lost 500 and 50 PCSOs – that’s the reality. 

“I’ve already written to the Prime Minister, the Home Secretary and the policing minister – as I have with previous ones. 

“I will continue to fight our corner. I assume they are listening and have woken up because I think they now understand the political consequences.

“Their reputation has been damaged by the loss of 20,000 officers across the country.”

Mr Coppinger said the moves were all part of putting officers back into neighbourhood policing after staff were pulled off their beats to respond to “short term high demand” earlier this year.

A probe by the Chief Inspector of Constabulary in March revealed work practices were “about as inefficient as you can possibly imagine” at Cleveland Police – with officers “queuing up” to “take turns to key in” information to force laptops.

But Mr Coppinger told councillors the force had “invested in technology” with officers getting laptops and hand-held devices this year to allow them to work remotely.

When it came to drones, Mr Coppinger said new devices would be coming in September with officers trained up to use them.

The commissioner said drones could “follow people home” and could prove handy in unsafe chases. 

Cllr Steve Walmsley, independent councillor for Mandale and Victoria, said he thought it was a case of “playing catch up”.