FOI 123709
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 123709
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 13th October 2021. Please find below the response to your request:
Please can you supply me with the details and results of the 4 month analysis that was carried out regarding front counter services that was made reference to in the recent posting on West Mercia Police website and the public consultation
Reply:-
Data Analysis
A footfall analysis of calls from outside front counters between July and November 2020 was completed and can be seen as indicative of footfall into the counters enabling the following conclusions to be drawn:-
- During Nov lockdown and the reduced front counter opening hours to the public calls from outside front counters peaked at 09:00 hours and 14:00 hours (either side of reduced opening hours).
- The highest concentration of calls by times at each front counter station were as follows:-
Worcester – 09:00, 15:00 and 18:00 hours
Kidderminster – 09:00, 14:00, 16:00 hours
Redditch – 09:00, 14:00, 16:00, 19:00 hours
Hereford – 14:00, 19:00 hours
Shropshire – 08:00, 14:00, 19:00 hours
Telford – 14:00 – 17:00 hours
A recent activity survey in Feb – March 21 of front counter provision found that the average number of visitors per day to front counters ranged from 25 at Worcester through to 16 at Redditch. Time taken to record incidents ranged from 10 hours per week to less than 1 hour per week and were in the main single figures. 101 call averages per week ranged from the highest of 100 at Kidderminster to the lowest of 33 at Hereford.
The main reasons for visits to front counters were custody related, deliveries, appointments and property related indicating that the primary function Front Counters are serving are as reception areas for Police Stations.
The below table serves to illustrate how many visits to police stations during the activity survey in Feb – March 21 were for custody related, deliveries, appointments and property issues in relation to total footfall.
|
Location |
Week 1 Total Visitors |
Week 1 Custody Deliveries Appointments Property |
Week 2 Total Visitors |
Week 2 Custody Deliveries Appointments Property |
Week 3 Total Visitors |
Week 3 Custody Deliveries Appointments Property |
|
Worcester |
123 |
78 (63%) |
163 |
95 (58%) |
250 |
141 (56%) |
|
Hereford |
133 |
78 (58%) |
96 |
53 (55%) |
129 |
76 (59%) |
|
Telford |
138 |
100 (72%) |
217 |
69 (32%) |
198 |
123 (62%) |
|
Shrewsbury |
120 |
82 (68%) |
110 |
75 (68%) |
126 |
83 (66%) |
|
Redditch |
103 |
66 (64%) |
125 |
68 (54%) |
110 |
68 (62%) |
|
Kidderminster |
161 |
107 (66%) |
125 |
74 (59%) |
191 |
132 (69%) |
In addition, a data survey showing contact records created as a result of personal visits to front counters to report an incident from 27.03.21 – 19.05.21 shows that across all of the 5 LPA’s in total the most contact records created in a single day did not exceed 13 incidents, with 4 per day being the average. Generally footfall to report incidents was lower at the weekends with Saturday being busier than Sunday. Peak times for reporting were Tues through to Thursday albeit low numbers across the force area.