Police Authority Comment on Performance
Each year the Police Authority agrees the priorities and targets to guide the Force in its activities and authorises the necessary investment of resources, having regard to the impact on the Council Tax payers. The priorities and targets are published in our Joint Policing Plan, available on our website.
West Mercia Police has continued to maintain a high level of performance results and for the fifth year running has achieved an overall reduction in crime. Focusing on the priority areas identified in the joint policing plan has been key to achieving these results; these include an improvement in detection rates for serious sexual offences and completing local policing priorities on time.
Both the Force and the Police Authority have actively engaged in local partnerships, recognising the importance placed on shared targets and shared delivery across the West Mercia area. In addition, we have continued to actively participate in increased collaboration and joint working with neighbouring forces and authorities.
West Mercia Police has been engaged in a number of high profile major operations through the year and has successfully managed staffing levels and prioritising effort at these times. Its approach to tackling major crime has also been endorsed through independent assessment. The Force faces an ongoing challenge of recognising and adapting to changing or emerging threats. This year in particular the Authority has been made aware of the ever growing area of internet crime and the challenges this presents for the High Tech Crime Unit.
With the introduction of a new target based on public confidence and the roll out of the Policing Pledge, the Authority has worked very closely with senior staff within the Force in developing those measures that will be used to track progress against these initiatives as well as agreeing other measures to allow effective ongoing monitoring of the policing plan targets.
Once again we are confident that West Mercia Police will meet all the challenges ahead and will continue to be seen as high performing, cost efficient and effective, delivering the high standard of policing services that the people of West Mercia have come to expect.
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