The Police and Crime Commissioner says West Midlands Police has already recruited more than 40% of the 450 neighbourhood police officers he promised when he was elected.
Simon Foster announced, whilst visiting West Bromwich to speak to some of the new recruits, that so far 177 of the 450 neighbourhood police officers he pledged had already been recruited and deployed into communities.
Upon his election in May 2021, Simon Foster promised to rebuild community policing in the West Midlands, following a decade of reckless government cuts that had reduced the number of neighbourhood officers from around 1,800 in 2010 to 700 in 2018.
Mr Foster is calling on the government to help him rebuild community policing by fairly funding West Midlands Police.
The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster said: “Over the past decade, community policing in the West Midlands has been dismantled as a consequence of central government having imposed significant funding cuts on our policing service.
“That was a big mistake. It was counter-productive and a false economy. We have all been paying the price with less justice, safety and security in the West Midlands.
“We need preventative, proactive, problem solving and visible community policing in the West Midlands. We must re-build community policing.
“That is why I am rebuilding community policing. It is a top priority in my Police and Crime Plan that I launched last month.
“I’ve committed to an extra 450 police officers to be allocated to community policing to keep you, your families and our communities safe and secure.
“I’m pleased to say that we’re making great progress and have already got 177 of those new neighbourhood officers in place.
“Over the coming months and years, with my plans we will see more officers, visible, out on the streets, embedded in communities to help tackle crime and keep people safe.”
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