New team launches to tackle criminals and keep roads safe across West Midlands
A new team has been created to help with tackling crime on the roads across the West Midlands.
West Midlands Police has announced the launch of the brand-new Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) apprentice team, which will work alongside 24/7 interceptors and traffic teams, providing critical support to officers who are already working around the clock to keep communities safe.
The team is made up of seven Level 4 Data Analyst apprentices which is expected to grow to 15 in total, with the next cohort joining early next year.
The apprentices are responsible for analysing ANPR data that tracks and disrupts criminal activity on the roads, with vehicle data used to identify patterns and threats which directly support frontline officers in stopping dangerous drivers before they cause harm.
One apprentice who has experienced tragedy around road crime and said she wanted to make a difference is 18-year-old Lola, who lost her brother Harry three years ago when he was killed by a drink driver.
She said she wanted to turn her pain into purpose and had joined the team after completing her A-Levels to make a difference.
She said: “I always knew I wanted to work in policing, but after losing my brother, it became something I had to do. If I can help stop even one person from going through what my family did, then it’s worth it. No one should ever have to get that phone call."
Another apprentice joining the team is Lucy, who made a career change, having worked as a secondary school teacher in Staffordshire before deciding to relocate and take on a new challenge.
She said: “Teaching was rewarding, but I reached a point where I wanted to do something completely different and something that challenged me in new ways. It’s been a big change, but I feel like I’m part of something important, something that’s helping to keep people safe.”
The two-year apprenticeship programme not only supports the force’s operational goals, but it also offers a recognised qualification, with the force saying it reinforces its commitment to being one of the top apprenticeship employers in the country.
