Fewer Gwent Police officers were suspended from their duties this year, new figures show.

England and Wales saw a 44% increase in the number of officers missing work due to suspensions compared to the same time last year.

However, Home Office figures show Gwent had the equivalent of 16 full-time officers suspended as of March 31 – a decrease on 20 a year earlier.

Officers must have missed work for at least 28 days to be counted in the absence figures. Across England and Wales 694 were suspended as March, up 44% from 481 a year earlier.

Police officers can be suspended while they are being investigated for misconduct.

These figures are a snapshot taken at the end of the financial year and will not include all suspensions that have taken place over the course of the year.

Dr Sarah Charman – a professor of criminology and researcher of police culture – said efforts to restore public trust in the police cannot be a "short-term fix".

She said: "Part of that activity is a determination to root out existing unacceptable police behaviours and a re-examination of many past allegations. It seems highly likely therefore that we will see an increase in the numbers of suspended police officers."

There was an overall increase in the number of unavailable officers across England and Wales, with nearly 6,000 officers absent from their duties, or one in 20 of the total workforce.

Gwent Police had the equivalent of 72 of its 1,529 officers absent as of March.

Over the same period, the total number of police personnel grew just 0.2% across the country – making it unlikely the rise in absent officers is due to a larger number of officers in total.

Also contributing to the rise was a 20% jump in officers missing work due to illness or injury. More than 3,000 officers were long-term sick at this point.

Despite this, 40 Gwent Police officers had been off work sick for 28 days or longer – a fall from 51 a year before.

In addition to sick leave and suspensions, 15 officers were absent due to parental leave, while one was taking a career break.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "It is vitally important that we restore the relationship between police and communities.

"To do that, we have committed to supporting thousands of extra police, PCSOs and Special Constables in communities across England and Wales.

"Through our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, we will start to rebuild that trust and confidence the public should have in the police to keep them safe."