Extra police could hit West Midlands Streets from mid-September
Communities across the West Midlands should finally see the ‘impact’ of much needed new police officers in the autumn.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner said the recruitment process for 150 new neighbourhood police officers was currently ongoing.
Mr Foster also told a West Midlands Police and Crime Panel meeting that 139 existing officers will be redeployed to neighbourhood policing teams while a further 20 PCSOs are also being taken on.
He was responding to concerns raised by a number of panel members including councillors Ram Mehmi, Stuart Henley and chair Suky Samra that towns and cities were not seeing the impact of new policing.
Mr Foster said people would realistically see the difference on the streets in mid-September.
Earlier this year, funding was secured from the Home Office under the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee to pay for 150 new officers.
Mr Foster said: “That is important in the West Midlands because increasing neighbourhood policing numbers is crucial for us because we still have around 700 fewer officers and 500 fewer PCSOs than we did back in 2010.
“That is despite many other forces having more police officers than they’ve ever had in their history.
“Something which is deeply inequitable, deeply unfair, it’s inexcusable and unacceptable.
“This is a contribution towards righting that wrong. But we need that accessible and reassuring visible presence out on the streets keeping people, families, businesses and local communities safe.”
He added: “That recruitment process is taking place. There’s a measure of time and a process in recruiting new police officers. You can’t just magic them up.
“They have to go through training. All of that is taking place. In addition to that, since June 2, the project around dedicated neighbourhood officers has also been in process.
“Since then, the dedicated neighbourhood officers and the local action teams have been allocated to those local neighbourhood policing teams. That has also been taking place over the last one to two months.
“I would expect once we are over the period of summer demand, by mid-September people will begin to see those new local neighbourhood teams beginning to make an impact and deliver in the local communities.
“I know it was the policing minister’s aspiration that certainly before the end of this financial year, people will definitely begin to see a difference and more impactful and reassuring presence in local communities across the West Midlands.
“There are forces hat have not necessarily bid in for or taken up their potential allocation under the neighbourhood policing guarantee.
“We have very consciously left the door open with the Home Office and made it very clear that if there are any opportunities or any slack in the system, we are up for recruiting additional officers.”
