West Mercia Police commissioner expresses disappointment over crime figures

John Campion, Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia, was speaking after data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed an overall rise in crime of 19 per cent when the 12 months up to June is compared with the year before.

The figures included rises in a number of offences – including sexual offences and violent offences.

Mr Campion said that although he was not pleased at the figures it was important to bear in mind the time scale covering the data – which was being compared to levels of crime while Covid restrictions were still in place.

He said: "I am disappointed that the latest ONS crime data shows an increase in crime but it is important to bear in mind that this is only a snapshot in time.

"There has been a rise in overall crime nationally, which is to be expected following the aftermath of the Covid pandemic and the associated lockdowns."

Mr Campion said he was focussed on making sure that policing in the county reflects the concerns of its residents.

He said he would also be raising the issues highlighted by the crime figures with West Mercia Police's chief constable.

He said: “What’s important is that West Mercia Police and I continue to focus our efforts on tackling crime and ensuring communities in Shropshire are safe and feel safe.

"As the voice of the public in policing, I regularly speak to residents and businesses in Shropshire about their concerns.

"These conversations help shape the regular holding to account meetings I have with the Chief Constable.

"At the next meeting in November, I will raise the rise in overall crime to question how the force will be responding and whether services I commission can provide any further support."

Mr Campion said he understood concerns and had been working to ensure a greater proportion of police money is spent on front-line policing – adding that the force would have the greatest number of police on the streets in more than a decade by the end of the year.

He said: "As part of my Safer West Mercia Plan, I have championed a journey of reform which has seen a greater proportion of police budgets focused on front-line service delivery.

"By the end of the year the number of police officers on the streets of West Mercia will reach the highest level for more than a decade.

"I also placed a significant amount of investment in investigations to ensure offenders are brought to justice.

"Additional funding has also been allocated to preventative measures to prevent crime from happening in the first place, such as SmartWater.”