Figures reveal rise in number of police on West Mercia streets - here's by how many
Fresh figures have revealed a rise in the number of police on the streets of West Mercia - you can see how many more officers are working across the Shropshire, Hereford and Worcestershire in our story below.
The latest figures show that there are 36 more officers in 'neighbourhood policing roles' - a category that include police officers and Police Community Support Officers, with the rise between March and September last year.
The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) said the move comes as part of the government's Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee (NPG).
The guarantee, which was set out last April, includes having named, contactable officers in every community, with a guaranteed response time of 72 hours to neighbourhood queries.
There is also a requirement to hold regular beat meetings with dedicated anti-social behaviour leads in every force.
While West Mercia's figures have risen, the force's police and crime commissioner, John Campion, warned that the increase had come at a cost, with officers shifted from "vital behind the scenes work".
Deputy Chief Constable Catherine Akehurst, the NPCC programme lead for the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, said: "Forces are working hard to achieve the requirements of the NPG for this year, and are on track to meet the 3,000 uplift target by April.
"The results of the Safer Streets Summer Initiative clearly show the benefits of investing in neighbourhood policing and we must continue this momentum.
"We are grateful for these investments from the government and know that strong local policing plays a vital part in building trust and confidence within our communities, which is why we are committed to improving neighbourhood policing and delivering the results we have seen through the programme so far.
“Strengthening local policing teams to respond to local issues through initiatives such as the neighbourhood policing guarantee is a central part of our vision for police reform. Done right, it offers a powerful opportunity to rebuild trust and improve the way policing protects and supports communities.”
Mr Campion said more police on the beat was welcome, but said the officers were not additional - but a reorganisation of existing resources.
He said: "I know the public value visible and accessible policing, so having more officers out on the beat, doing the bread‑and‑butter work of policing, is welcome.
“However, it’s naïve to assume this comes without a cost. These officers are not additional, they were already serving in West Mercia Police and were carrying out vital behind‑the‑scenes work to ensure those breaking the law, were brought to justice.
“My message is clear: the Government needs to be honest with the public that this isn’t about growth but about shifting existing resources to whatever their priority of the day happens to be. This approach effectively ties the hands of the Chief Constable, who should be free to make the operational decisions that best serve our local communities.”
