Planned police reforms don't focus enough on communities - West Mercia PCC
The Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia has called on the Government to do more for local policing after saying that planned reforms don't focus enough on communities.
PCC John Campion has expressed concern that the Government’s latest proposals for police reform aren’t focused on local communities, such as in Wyre Forest and Shropshire.
The Government published its White Paper on Monday, which outlines a number of proposals, including a major restructure to the current policing model and the development of a new national policing centre, a move that the PCC said he believes will threaten the vital local connections that policing is built on.
Mr Campion said: “Whilst I am not against reform, it should be done to drive improvements.
"These proposals therefore need to do that for not just policing, but communities too.
“I am also concerned that moving policing towards a more centralised model, dictated by Whitehall, risks losing the public voice from the heart of local policing, something I have continually championed for in my role as PCC.
“The most important thing is the need for stability and consistency and ensuring policing is set up to continue keeping our communities safe.
"I will work with the Government as the plans are scrutinised and improved over the coming months.”
