A TOTAL of 447 people have so far applied for 150 new Notts police officer jobs three days before the deadline.
Police and crime commissioner Paddy Tipping said he was pleased with the level of interest.
He said: "It shows the police is seen as an exciting place to work. There will now be a thorough selection process – but this is just the beginning.
"We will be investing in recruitment again next year and I'm determined to get another 150 high-quality new officers.
"I think people were anxious given the poor press the police have had generally over recent months."
"There is also the move (by the Government) to drop the starting salary down to £19,000 from £23,000 – but I was always confident because the job still appeals to a lot of people. There's been exceptionally high interest."
As of yesterday evening, 447 applications had been sent in.
There have been 26,858 hits on the recruitment page on the force's website and more than 900 phone inquiries, with the deadline at midday on Monday.
The last recruitment drive in 2010, when recruitment was open for a year before a freeze due to cuts, attracted 1,479 applicants for a similar number of roles, although only around 24 new officers were taken on.