Nah, it was beefed up because Saruman took over and was lording it over the Shire with his own personal bullymen. So this was also police reform.Bit of an odd detail to include; I guess we're supposed to infer that the force had been beefed up in the hopes of defending the Shire from Sauron's advancing hordes? There's probably something to be learned from that too, in these times.