We asked whether the Programme was about more ‘bobbies on the beat’ rather than tackling the more complex areas of crime that are growing, such as serious sexual offences and fraud. The Department told us that the Programme would not have a direct and immediate impact on such issues, as it was focused on recruiting officers at the entry level whereas crimes such as rape required more experienced officers. The Department told us that some new officers who were recruited directly as detectives would have more impact on these crimes sooner, but that the majority would take time to gain experience.47 Securing outcomes