Wolverhampton police shake-up in £120m savings plan
Wolverhampton's 23 neighbourhood policing areas have been merged into seven clusters as part of a plan aiming to save the force £120 million.
In March, Chief Constable Chris Sims announced the 2020 Blueprint for West Midlands Police which pin points 36 major changes to working practices, aimed at making the best use of new technology to cushion the effects of austerity.
As part of a drive to save a further £120 million, it was revealed up to 2,500 police officers and civilian staff could be axed in the next four years.
At the time the Chief Constable warned the cuts would result in fewer bobbies on the beat and major changes to the force's neighbourhood policing programme, which has 2,000 police officers deployed across the region.
Sergeant Kevin Whitehouse will lead St Peters, Park and Graiseley with 10 police constables and seven police community support officers
Sergeant Gavin Plumridge will lead Oxley, Bushbury North, Bushbury South and Lowhill and Fallings Park, with nine police constables and 10 police community support officers.
Sergeant Ronald Price will lead Tettenhall Regis, Tettenhall Wightwick,Merry Hill and Penn with four police constables and eight police community support officers
Sergeant Martin Hewitt will lead Heath Town and East Park with eight police constables and eight police community support officers
Sergeant Jon Yeomans will lead Ettingshall, Springvale and Blakenhall with eight police constables and seven police community support officers
Sergeant Glen Moseley will lead Bilston North and Bilston East with six police constables and seven police community support officers
Sergeant David Stanley will lead Wednesfield North and Wednesfield South with five police constables and seven police community support officers
Wolverhampton's Chief Superintendent Simon Hyde has detailed the changes in the June/July Neighbourhood Watch newsletter, saying: "We continue to face challenges from shrinking resources and have had to make some changes to our local policing teams. These changes will enable us to better align our resources to meet our demands for service and will involve some minor adjustments across all our local policing teams.
"These local changes will ensure that we can continue to respond quickly to people in an emergency whilst focussing our neighbourhood policing teams in the areas that generate the greatest demand for our service. This will enable us to continue to work with partners and respond appropriately to community concerns around crime and anti-social behaviour, whilst protecting those individuals who are the most vulnerable in our communities."
Each of the seven clusters outside the ring road is now overseen by a sergeant who is supported by a team of police officers and police community support officers. The teams will support Inspector Tracy Meir, who will lead the outer ring road sector.
Within the ring road, Inspector Sarah Thomas-West will lead a team of four sergeants, 24 police constables, and 26 police community support officers.
The Chief Superintendent said they are not closing any of the existing police buildings as part of the changes, although officers will be more flexible and will not operate from them at all times.
He added: "I am confident that the changes we have made will ensure that Wolverhampton Local Policing Unit continues to deliver the highest levels of service to its communities."
