WA Police is welcoming back former officers and retaining staff in numbers not seen for many years due to the economic crisis and job shortages.

Assistant Commissioner Wayne Gregson told 6PR Radio's morning show today the economic downturn had "solved our problem of recruiting".

Mr Gregson said in previous years the force would have up to 50 staff a month walk away for more lucrative jobs, but recently that number had plummeted to only six or seven, most of which were retirements.

Only eighteen months ago, the WA Police Union claimed the State's police force was under strength by as many as 500 staff as WA's booming economy continued to have an impact on recruitment numbers.

PERTH JAYNE RICKARD