Hopes for return of police base in Stourbridge dashed by top cop

Ever since Stourbridge Police Station was closed down in 2017 and sold off for flats, politicians, residents and police officers have wanted a permanent base in the town.

However, Chief Superintendent Anthony Tagg, who is in charge of policing in Dudley, has admitted his quest for a permanent base for officers in Stourbridge has hit a brick wall.

In a letter to Stourbridge councillors, who had pleaded for extra police resources after the fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Joseph Riches, he outlined the current impasse.

"When I took up the position of Borough Commander in August last year I set out my vision for returning a policing base to Stourbridge," he said.

"I have been working to deliver upon this since my arrival. Unfortunately, negotiations for a location recently arrived at a position where it was not possible to pursue them.

"Since that point I have continued to work at pace with West Midlands Police Estate Team to identify a new opportunity to fulfil my vision for policing in Stourbridge."

Chief Supt Tagg had previously told Stourbridge MP Suzanne Webb it would be an admin base, despite public pleas for a more public-facing facility.

Several plans have fallen through, with an agreement unable to be reached about officers using Dudley Council offices in Mary Stevens Park, Norton, and the Crystal Centre in the town centre.

A Stourbridge councillor, who did not want to be named, said: "Stourbridge Police Station should never have been closed in the first place.

"This letter shows any hope for a new police base in Stourbridge has been totally dashed."

However, Chief Supt Tagg defended the policing of Stourbridge, pointing to a reorganisation of resources in the spring.

He said: "In April this year West Midlands Police changed its operating model. This change saw more officers dedicated to tackling local crime and things that matter to our communities in Dudley.

"We now have dedicated Response and Investigations Teams which work alongside Neighbourhood Policing, Offender Management, Partnerships and Priority Crime teams to provide a local, visible police service in the heart of our communities.

"Since we implemented our new model we have experienced a 19 per cent reduction in serious youth violence in the borough and a 37 per cent reduction in youth violence where a knife is involved."

He added: "Over the last few months our Stourbridge Neighbourhood Policing Team has continued to tackle the things that matter to the communities of Stourbridge and the wider area."