New constables are planned for the rural crime team, but will not join until autumn

Plans to have more officers investigating rural crime in Somerset have not yet gone ahead — not due to a shortage, but because there are too many new police officers.

Avon & Somerset Police plans to grow its rural affairs team by two constables, a top police officer said at the Performance and Accountability Board meeting with Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford on May 9th.

The two new constables would bring the squad up to having one sergeant, four constables, and a police and community support officer.