Have a happy and crime-free Christmas

We want to make sure everyone has a safe and enjoyable festive time and to celebrate the start of Advent on December 1, we launched our own advent calendar containing a different piece of advice every day.

Our advice will focus on a number of areas such as violent crime, personal safety and domestic violence, as well as advice to ensure people access the right service to help us prioritise and respond more quickly to emergency calls.

You can open a different door each day on our social media accounts – https://www.facebook.com/westmerciapolice/

https://twitter.com/wmerciapolice

https://www.instagram.com/westmerciapolice/

We’ve got plans in place to ensure we’re doing all we can to make sure your Christmas and New Year isn’t ruined and over the next few weeks will have more officers out on patrol at our busiest times.

In order for us to have more officers on duty many staff will be working longer shifts and on their days off, spending time away from their families to help you and yours be safe. If you do see an officer on patrol stop and say hello, our command teams will also be on patrol and I know they’ll be keen to speak to you, if you do see them grab a selfie! You can find out more by following @SuptHarding and @SuptMoLansdale on twitter.

Many of the additional officers on patrol will be our volunteers in the Special Constabulary who give up their own time to support us and I’m sure you’ll join me in thanking them for everything they do and give back to the community.

I’m really pleased to say the fantastic volunteer Street Pastors will also be on patrol in Telford and Shrewsbury over the next few weeks, they will be able to offer help and support to anyone who needs it. Street Ambassadors will also be out in Shrewsbury and for the first time too Street Angels will be out with officers in Oswestry.

The triage centre will be back in Shrewsbury town centre and West Mercia Search and Rescue will carry out proactive riverside patrols in Shrewsbury and Ironbridge.

Please help us to help you and if you’re going out make sure you stay safe and look out for your friends, ensure you’ve plans to get home before you go out and stick with your friends and the people you’re out with. If you’re concerned someone you’re with has had little bit too much to drink please don’t leave them on their own.

If you’ve had a drink too please don’t get behind the wheel. There’s absolutely no excuse for drink, or drug, driving. We’ve seen, far too many times, the devastating impact driving under the influence can have and we make no apology for the proactive approach we take at targeting those who drive after drinking or taking drugs. Even if you’ve only had one drink it can affect your judgement and you have to question whether it’s really worth it. Also, please bear in mind the morning after as you could still be over the limit, if you’re in any doubt simply don’t drive.

Unfortunately, Christmas is also an opportune time for thieves and we often see a rise in the number of burglaries and thefts at this time of year. Some simple measures can help prevent you from being targeted. It’s a great tradition to leave presents under the tree but if they can clearly be seen from the street then a burglar is probably more likely to target the home. Likewise if, once presents have been unwrapped, you’re getting rid of the packaging, be mindful, if you leave something like a television box outside it is clearly advertising to potential burglars there is a brand new TV inside which, again, will make you more likely to be targeted.

If you’ve still got some Christmas shopping to do make sure you don’t leave shopping bags or any valuable items on display in an empty car. Keep your personal items, such as your phone and purse or wallet, safe and please don’t leave bags unattended. If you’re shopping online ensure the site is secure and verified, if a bargain seems too good to be true it probably is, think before you buy.

During the festive period we do see more domestic abuse incidents than usual, on average a domestic abuse victims suffer more than 30 incidents before seeking help. Once is one too many, don’t suffer in silence if you’re a victim of domestic abuse we will help you.

Being drunk is no excuse for violence – if you’re violent we will not hesitate to arrest you. There’s plenty of room in our ‘Inn’. And, if you have the impertinence to attack an emergency worker, someone who is more than likely trying to help you, I’m pleased there is now stronger legislation to dealt with you.

As you would expect the festive period is a busy time for us and we’re expecting the next couple of weeks to be very busy so please if you do need to contact us, think whether or not it as an emergency or even a police matter. If it’s not then think twice, we want to make sure we’re there for the people who really do need us.

Finally, I want wish you all a very Merry Christmas and look forward to the New Year. I hope you all manage to spend time with loved ones across the festive period and would like to take this opportunity to thank my own officers, all of the emergency services, doctors, nurses and volunteers who will be spending time away from their own loved ones working this Christmas to care for other people.