WEST MIDLANDS Police is set to welcome an extra 150 officers.
This comes after Chief Constable Craig Guildford and Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster put a bid into the Home Office for more officers to be allocated to the force.
Mr Guildford said he intends to deploy all 150 new posts across Neighbourhood Policing which he says is good news for communities.
In addition, 139 existing serving police officers will be redeployed into neighbourhood policing roles, while there will also be an additional 20 new PCSOs.
West Midlands Police has also revealed plans of a new approach to ensure communities across the region benefit fully from the extra officers once they are recruited.
Changes which will take place later this year include dedicated neighbourhood policing officers who will be working almost exclusively on their Wards to help keep reducing crime and anti-social behaviour.
Mr Guildford said: “I really welcome the government’s announcement to enable us to further boost the service we offer to local people. Crime continues to fall across West Midlands Police and these extra officers will be actively involved in reducing it further by preventing crime and bringing those who choose to harm communities to justice.”
The extra money also enables West Midlands Police to deliver additional specialist training for all our neighbourhood officers. This will enhance officers’ problem-solving skills and their ability to support communities effectively.
Mr Foster said: “Increasing neighbourhood police numbers is particularly important in the West Midlands because the force still has about 700 fewer police officers and 500 fewer PCSOs than we did back in 2010.
“This is despite many other forces having more police officers than they have ever had in their force history – something which is deeply unfair. This is a contribution towards righting that wrong.
“We need an accessible, reassuring and visible presence out on the streets to prevent and tackle crime, promote community safety and keep the people, families, businesses and communities of the West Midlands safe and secure.”
In her letter confirming the news, Policing Minister Diana Johnson MP said: “Neighbourhood policing is the bedrock of the British policing model.
“Yet, the number of people who have seen uniformed officers in their local area has halved in the last decade.
“Now is the time for swift action to address this, to help rebuild the connection between police and the public that is key to securing their trust and confidence.”
