Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster has welcomed improvements made by West Midlands Police, after Office for National Statistics data on crime showed a six per cent drop year on year.
The ONS statistics showed a reduction in overall crime by 6% (22,573 offences), compared to the same period the previous year. They also showed decreases in the amount of violent crime, in particular violence against a person of 11% (17,949 offences) and most serious violence dropped by 10% (451 offences).
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster said: “I have been holding West Midlands Police to account, ensuring the force is doing everything in its power to prevent, tackle and reduce crime, making our people and communities safer and so that our people and communities receive the service from West Midlands Police to which they are entitled.
“These figures show that the action I am taking, together with the Chief Constable, are having a direct impact.
“There has been a change in the operating model, which came into force last April and improvements have been seen.
“However, I am not in the least complacent. I will ensure that this is only the beginning. I am committed to constant, relentless and unremitting action, to ensure that West Midlands Police drives continuous improvement.”
Since implementing the new local policing model, the force has opened two more custody suites and increased the number of people arrested. It has also increased the number of offenders brought to justice and this continues to improve each month.
Since April, Force Contact staff have answered nearly 674,000 emergency calls (999s), and 92% of these calls have been answered in under 10 seconds with the average call taken at five seconds.
The force is currently answering non-emergency 101 calls in less than one minute compared to last year when the average wait time was over 29 minutes. Staff got to these calls last month in under 50 seconds. The force is also responding to those calls for help more quickly now that response officers are based locally.
As a result of the changes, data continues to show significant reductions in crime. The most recent force level data shows that overall crime is 9% lower than 2023 year to date and the force is now seeing reductions in burglary and vehicle crime.
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