More police officers confirmed for community-based teams

As part of a shared commitment from the Chief Constable and Police and Crime Commissioner, West Mercia Police will be increasing the number of officers working in neighbourhood policing roles across communities.

This move forms a key part of the PCC’s Safer Communities Plan, ensuring officers remain rooted in the heart of local communities focused on the issues that matter most to you.

Six locations have been identified for an uplift in neighbourhood officers:

• Bromyard, Herefordshire – three additional officers
• Church Stretton, Shropshire – three additional officers
• Whitchurch, Shropshire – three additional officers
  Droitwich Worcestershire – two additional officers
• Stourport, Worcestershire – two additional officers
• Worcester City – one additional officer

Chief Constable Richard Cooper said: “Neighbourhood officers exist to solve the crime and safety problems affecting local communities. As well as obvious benefit to the public, this helps policing colleagues who would otherwise pick up the demand. That’s why we are reallocating 14 officers into neighbourhood roles in the places where they will have greatest impact.”

PCC John Campion said: “Residents tell me time and again how much they value seeing officers on the beat, building relationships and responding to local concerns. The Chief Constable and I share that commitment. After delivering record numbers of police officers in West Mercia, we are focused on ensuring communities feel the full benefit of that investment through an increase in visible and accessible policing.”

While the overall number of officers in the force remains the same, this is a reprioritisation of existing roles to better meet community needs and improve the force’s ability to respond quickly to neighbourhood issues.

The officers are being posted now and will begin joining their new communities over the coming months.

A further 13 officer roles - including Intervention and Prevention Officers and Hate Crime Officers - have also been realigned to ensure community concerns are captured across all areas of policing and fully integrated into neighbourhood teams.