Hertfordshire's chief constable outlined how £9 million of additional funding will be used to protect the county's Jewish community amid a rise in antisemitic crime.

Hertfordshire – which has the third largest Jewish population in the country – is one of 11 police force areas to have been allocated a share of £250m over the next three years to increase policing in Jewish communities.

At their latest monthly accountability and performance meeting, Hertfordshire's police and crime commissioner, Jonathan Ash-Edwards told Chief Constable Andy Prophet that a 35% increase in antisemitic crime in the county had been recorded in the year to July and such offences now account for more than half of all religious hate crime in Hertfordshire.

The PCC asked how the extra £9m would be spent and what impact the Jewish community would see.

Mr Prophet said that up to 30 additional officers and police staff would be used to prevent, disrupt and investigate antisemitic crime

There would be a focus in the Hertsmere district, reflecting the size of its Jewish population, he said, and the force would work closely with Jewish community leaders and the Community Security Trust, as well as leaders from other faiths.

He added that they would work with the Metropolitan police to ensure activity was 'joined up'.

At its peak the funding would mean an additional 30 officers deployed in communities, investigating hate crime and "making sure, to the largest extent possible, our Jewish communities are safe".

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The chief constable reassured those of other faiths that they would "not be adversely affected by this work".

"This is additional money to create additional resource, so it is over and above," he said.

"We've been working for a number of weeks and months now with faith leaders across all communities to talk about how we get this response right – not just for our Jewish community, but across the board.

"I have a real strong sense that there is a level of understanding and a desire to keep working together cohesively as faith leaders and faith communities in Hertfordshire. And we will continue to do that."

The chief constable told the commissioner his 4,200 officers would continue to monitor and track "all hate crimes of all types" in Hertfordshire and "respond accordingly" and move officers and staff to tackle that.