Shropshire Star

Complaints against West Mercia police officers drop five per cent in a year

Complaints against police officers in the force covering Shropshire have dropped by five per cent in a year.

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New figures show 839 allegations were made against police officers in West Mercia in 2018/19, down from 886 the previous year.

The number of complaints that were actually recorded also went up by four per cent, from 686 in 2017/18 to 713 in 2018/19.

The figures were revealed in a report by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which looks at how forces deal with allegations against officers.

West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion says the report shows an improving picture in West Mercia, which covers Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.

He said: "The force is seeing fewer complaints, despite demand on police nationwide remaining high.

"In West Mercia, I have invested significantly in additional police officers and resources like body worn video.

John Campion

"It is clear these are having a positive impact on the service our communities are receiving.

"I will continue to hold the force to account to ensure West Mercia Police continues to offer the best possible service to our communities."

Police bosses say they are pleased with the report and have made assurances that action will be taken against officers and staff where necessary.

Assistant Chief Constable for West Mercia Police, Martin Evans, said: “Much of our work involves engaging with people at incredibly difficult and challenging times in their life and we pride ourselves in giving them a good service.

"We are pleased this has been evidenced in these figures, which show a reduction in complaints, and by a recent survey which showed that 85 per cent of people in our communities have confidence in our force, which is higher than the average of other similar forces.

“On the occasions where the conduct of an officer or member of staff falls short of the high standards we expect you can expect us to take appropriate and firm action.

"We are also dedicated to learning from such incidents and continuously improving our service.”

The figures show nearly half of the allegations finalised in 2018/19 – 313 – were by local resolution, while 296 were finalised following an investigation.

In the same period, 92 per cent of cases were recorded within the expected period of 10 working days, ahead of the national average, and a rise from 86 per cent in 2017/18.

West Mercia's police and crime commissioner says improvements to timeliness means complaints are resolved around three weeks faster than similar forces, and a week faster than the national average.