Officer numbers have reached record levels with 129,603 full-time officers on March 31, 2002. Compared to a year earlier, it is an increase of 3,922 or 3.1 percent. This is the largest increase in 26 years. This total includes 2,336 officers assigned to the National Crime Squad (NCS), National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS), central services, and inter-force units. Over the last 12 months, forces recruited 10,215 officers--38 percent more than the previous year and the most since 1975. The wastage rate is at less than 5 percent of strength, with 6,420 officers leaving over this period. There were 3,386 minority ethnic officers--over two and a half percent of the total police strength. This is an increase of 14 percent over the last year. There were 58,909 full-time equivalent civilian staff employed in the 43 police forces areas, NCS, and NCIS. This is an increase of 2,264 or 4 percent over September 30, 2001, and 4,571 or 8 percent over March 31, 2001. Over 60 percent of the civilian staff was female. 4 figures, 1 footnote, 11 tables, 8 notes