The West Mercia Context
The force employs approximately 4,600 people of which 1.5% are of minority ethnic origin and 45% are female. It operates through five divisions –
The main headquarters site is based at Hindlip near Worcester.
Whilst the force area has five large urban areas, namely Worcester, Redditch, Hereford, Shrewsbury and Telford, West Mercia is predominantly rural, with some areas, particularly Herefordshire, deemed ‘sparse’ in population terms.
The Constabulary has 41 police stations (Home Office definition*), and uses or occupies a further 75 properties. By the end of March 2009 we aim to have 80% of police stations fully compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act with regard to public accessibility.
There are eleven Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (also known as Community Safety Partnerships) within the area.
| Area | 7,428 square kilometres (2,868 square miles) - fourth largest police area in England and Wales |
| Population | 1,181,900 (2.3% minority ethnic) |
| Dwellings | 495,000 |
| Roads | 13,621 kilometres (8,464 miles) |
| Net Budget | £192.7 millions |
| Police Personnel: (as at March 2008) | |
| Police Officers | 2495 |
| Police Staff | 1851 |
| Community Support Officers | 276 |
| Special Constabulary | 251 |
| Number of miles travelled by police vehicles | 11.4 million per year |
*A police station is an operational police facility with a public enquiry counter open during the day and should include police offices (ie police house in rural area, which is part police station where the public can call at certain times).
Building on Outstanding Results
West Mercia Constabulary has, for a number of years, been independently assessed as one of the highest performing police forces in England and Wales. Recent successes include:
- Being rated as "Excellent" in the categories of Tackling Crime and Performance Management and “Good” in the remaining six performance categories – Serious Crime and Public Protection; Protecting Vulnerable People; Satisfaction and Fairness; Neighbourhood Policing; Local Priorities; Resources and Efficiency.
- Recorded crime has fallen consistently over recent years. In the year ending March 2007, total recorded crime fell by nearly 4% to 82,095 incidents, resulting in 3,258 fewer victims of crime.
| Crime volumes | 2004/05 | 2005/06 | 2006/07 | Change 2006/07 Vs 2004/05 |
| Total Recorded Crime | 95,056 | 85,353 | 82,095 | Down by 14% |
| Domestic Burglary | 4,785 | 3,738 | 3,260 | Down by 32% |
| Violent Crime | 19,820 | 17,166 | 17,510 | Down by 12% |
| Vehicle Crime | 10,943 | 9,752 | 8,865 | Down by 19% |
| Sanction Detection Rate | 26.6% | 31.8% | 32.5% | Up by 22% |
- Sanction detection rates, where investigations lead to action being taken against an offender, are one of the highest in the UK.
- As well as reductions in ‘local’ crime, we have also enjoyed great success in tackling major and serious crime and have invested significantly in the force’s serious crime investigation, counter terrorism and civil protection capabilities.
- 145 Local Policing Teams are in place to work more closely with, and be better able to respond to, the concerns of our communities.
In addition to these operational successes, we have seen significant improvements in a number of other key areas, such as improvements in file quality, routine call handling and reduced sickness levels. Efficiency has also improved and, for the seventh year running, we have met and surpassed the target set by the Home Office.
It is important to recognise that excellent performance is not just about numbers. Statistics, no matter how impressive, only tell part of the story. Equally important is the impression we leave with our customers and partners. In October 2007 we successfully retained Charter Mark accreditation, the Government’s award scheme for recognising and encouraging excellent customer service in the public sector. Looking ahead, our challenge is to develop a style of working in which public satisfaction is at the heart of everything we do.
We have many excellent examples that demonstrate the human face of the force. These examples of good practice do not feature in the quantitative data, but they play a vital role in building public satisfaction, trust and confidence in the force. Recent successes include:
- Following months of hard work by CSO Ann Moore and a committed group of youngsters, the newly formed Malinslee Youth Centre opened its doors for the first time in October 2007. The project arose from concerns raised at local Partners and Communities Together (PACT) meeting that there was nowhere for young people to meet in Malinslee. Ann was appointed chairperson of a development committee, which involved a number of young people. In addition to being committee members, teenagers have named the club, been consulted on the activities that should be organised and helped secure a £4,500 grant from the Local Network Fund, a community foundation set up in Shropshire and Telford.
- The Cosford Air Show is a major public event requiring a high level of operational support and contingency planning. In response to the operational policing demand, the Information Management and Technology Department provided a high level of technology support which included air-to-ground tele-visual links to facilitate local management and control. Given the high-profile nature of the event and the criticality of the effective operation of the technology to public safety, department staff were in attendance on-site throughout the show to provide technical support and backup should problems have occurred. As a result of the detailed planning and work undertaken, the technology worked well on the day and provided effective support to the policing operation.
- Teenagers in Worcester have found a new and exciting hobby to keep them busy, thanks to the efforts of PC Tina Cowan, Local Policing Officer for Rainbow Hill. Alongside PC Wayne Hurley from the Gorse Hill team, Tina launched two dragon boat groups in 2007, crewed by more than forty 12-17 year olds. Youngsters who previously had nothing to do now have something positive and challenging to focus their energies on. Tina has donated countless hours of her spare time to the dragon boaters. She is now hoping to create a special youth section of the Worcester Dragon Boat Club, allowing even more youngsters to get involved and has raised £5,000 from the Local Network Fund to finance its development.
- During the weekend of 20-22 July 2007 there was considerable flooding throughout the West Mercia area that proved a huge challenge to the Constabulary. The Call Management staff were facing increased demand, the busiest period was between 1300 hours on Friday and 1300 hours on Saturday. During that time the Call Management Centre received 1,397 '999' calls from the public - compared with a daily average of 350. At the same time, there were 2,358 non-emergency calls - compared with an average of 800 - and 2,298 incidents recorded, compared with the average of 1,100. Despite the atrocious weather conditions some operators volunteered to come to work at whatever location they could make to support colleagues. Many operators worked extended shifts, gave up their breaks and came in on rest days, some then returning home to deal with their own flooded homes. This was a testimony to team spirit, dedication, resilience and perseverance. There were many inspiring accounts of individual and team actions from Police Staff, Police Officers and volunteers. Mid Worcestershire MP Peter Luff said: “No-one could have worked harder or made more effort - and no stone was left unturned - in attempts to minimise the consequences of this disastrous event on my constituents. Please pass on to all involved, my deep gratitude for the extraordinary lengths to which they went at an exceptionally difficult time for the County.”
- In October 2007, the Call Management Centre answered a 999 call from a female who had come across a road traffic collision involving only one vehicle. A male pedestrian who had apparently witnessed the incident was behaving in a strange manner, and had told the caller that he'd seen the driver run off over nearby fields. The Call Taker spoke to the male directly, advising him that he was on a recorded line. The male then went to leave on a bus, and the call handler instructed the caller to keep him at the scene as a witness to the incident. Attending officers recognised the "pedestrian" as the vehicle owner, and he was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving. The Call Taker’s questioning skills, determination and awareness meant that valuable police resources and time were not wasted searching for a "missing" driver, and subsequent stolen vehicle enquiries, and denied the driver the opportunity of avoiding detection.
- During the late evening of Friday 3/8/07 police responded to a road traffic collision at Blackstone Island, Bewdley, where the driver of a vehicle involved was seen by patrols to run from the scene. Officers pursued him on foot, but lost sight of him in the darkness and despite efforts to locate him, they were unable to do so. The police helicopter was requested and attended soon afterwards and began a search of the area. After only two minutes searching using the thermal image camera, the crew located the suspect hiding beneath a hedgerow approximately 400 yards from the scene. Patrols were directed to him and he was arrested for a drink driving offence. It is felt that had the helicopter not attended the driver may have evaded capture.
- Pete Franklin, Local Policing Officer for Meole Brace and Copthorne in Shrewsbury, has been doing a lot of work to help reduce anti-social behaviour in the town and improve relationships between young people and their communities. Pete secured a £3,000 grant from Shrewsbury Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) to fund a youth inclusion project which aims to provide local youngsters with better ways to spend their free time, rather than just hanging around on the streets. Young people who are perceived to be causing problems are being invited to take part in sports and other activities in exchange for putting something back into the community such as helping out at local events or removing graffiti.
- The actions of CSO Paul Cowmeadow in Ross-on Wye have helped to reassure local residents that the force is serious about tackling anti-social behaviour. Paul initially responded to a report of anti-social behaviour which was occurring at an elderly gentleman’s house. Although Paul offered immediate help, the man remained very agitated because he felt the police were not doing enough to help him. After leaving the address, Paul continued to think about other assistance he could provide. While the man had invested in CCTV it was not set up properly and he could not afford to buy video tapes to keep it running. Paul managed to source three tapes for him and helped him to set up his system so that it would be more effective. As a result of Paul’s care, the gentleman has much greater confidence in the police.
- The efforts of CSO Lindon Lloyd in Oldington and Foley Park in Kidderminster are playing a significant role in tackling anti-social behaviour. Alongside other members of the local policing team, Lindon has set up a disco for the under 16s at Birchen Coppice School and is working with Foley Park Primary School to establish Wyre Forest’s first youth PACT (Partners and Communities Together). Lindon has also been busy in other areas. Since April 2007, he has set a force record by issuing 82 Section 59 warnings to nuisance mini moto and motorbike riders which has substantially reduced a problem regularly highlighted in PACT meetings. Lindon’s work hasn’t gone unnoticed. In 2007, he won the High Sheriff’s Millennium Trophy at the force’s Quality People awards and was put forward for the national Jane’s Police Review awards.
Diversity
Embracing Diversity is one of our four key principles. In the baseline assessment carried out by HMIC in 2006 the force attained a “Good” and “Stable” grading. This represents the commitment the Constabulary demonstrates to diversity matters both internally to the force and externally with its communities.
West Mercia Constabulary and the Police Authority each have three Equality Schemes covering issues of Race, Disability and Gender. In addition we have three Independent Advisory Groups covering Race, Disability and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered. These groups provide support and advice to the force on many areas of business from serious and organised crime investigations to policy and procedure.
West Mercia has a Diversity Team which is led by a Superintendent and has a Diversity Compliance and Equality Scheme Manager and four Diversity Advisors representing between them the six strands of diversity covering:- race, faith/religion, gender, sexual orientation, age and disability. In 2007 it employed an additional police officer post to manage the Gypsy and Traveller portfolio.
We recognise the need to celebrate and learn from people's differences and to maximise the potential contributions of all our staff. It is the responsibility of every member of staff to ensure that challenges to inappropriate behaviour are made, positive action is taken to ensure equality of opportunity and people are treated as individuals and accorded the respect they deserve. Every division and department has a diversity champion who, in the first instance, can provide guidance to staff within their area and ensure compliance with the strategy, equality schemes and action plans.
Diversity Impact Assessments are carried out on all policies, operational events and specific community concerns. These determine the policing strategy required to provide a proportionate and reasonable response to community needs.
This area of work will be monitored by the Police Authority’s Inclusivity and Community Engagement Panel with regard to external issues and by the Police Authority’s Human Resources Panel with regard to internal issues.
Collaborative working between West Mercia Constabulary and other forces
West Mercia Constabulary has established formal arrangements for collaborative working with the forces within the West Midlands Region, namely West Midlands Police, Staffordshire Police and Warwickshire Police. Examples include the Regional Asset Recovery Scheme – a multi agency approach to reducing crime through asset recovery and the Central Motorway Police Group - a full-regionalised policing service made up of 140 police officers and 29 support staff responsible for patrolling the motorways of the West Midlands, West Mercia and Staffordshire force areas.
We also collaborate on specifically identified areas with our other neighbouring forces that are not part of the region, for example response policing with Dyfed Powys.
We continually look for further opportunities to collaborate; in particular areas linked to Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and Major Crime Investigation are being researched.
Protective Services
In late 2007, the force assessed its protective services against and within a national HMIC stocktake. As a result of this we have created a three-year plan to further develop and improve our capacity and capability to deliver protective services. This plan has also taken into account the HMIC baseline inspection of protective services, the regional stocktake and has been influenced by our own internal reviews conducted in 2007 into the areas of crime management and also major crime.
By adopting a strategy of reallocating existing resources to meet demand, we will be able to make any necessary improvements in high need areas. In light of this we are expanding our tactical intelligence capacity to provide 24-hour cover and support to officers.
The Force “stocktake” has informed regional meetings of Chief Constables and Chairs to Police Authorities in identifying and agreeing a collective approach to shared services where there is clear benefit to doing so in adding additional capacity and capability to our protective services
A corporate programme is being developed which will take forward the work within this plan, identify the resources required and provide detail on how the plan will be delivered. The plan will continue to be reviewed and refreshed on a quarterly basis.
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