WEST Midlands Police has already recruited more than 40 per cent of the 450 neighbourhood police officers promised by Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster when he was elected.
So far 177 of the 450 neighbourhood police officers he pledged are in the ranks and deployed to communities.
Upon his election in May 2021, Simon Foster promised to rebuild community policing in the West Midlands, after numbers had been reduced from around 1,800 in 2010 to 700 in 2018.
And he is calling on the government to help him rebuild community policing by fairly funding West Midlands Police.
The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster said: “Over the past decade, community policing in the West Midlands has been dismantled as a consequence of central government having imposed significant funding cuts on our policing service.
“That was a big mistake. It was counter-productive and a false economy. We have all been paying the price with less justice, safety and security in the West Midlands.
“We need preventative, proactive, problem solving and visible community policing in the West Midlands. We must re-build community policing.
“That is why I am rebuilding community policing. It is a top priority in my Police and Crime Plan that I launched last month.
“I’ve committed to an extra 450 police officers to be allocated to community policing to keep you, your families and our communities safe and secure.
“I’m pleased to say that we’re making great progress and have already got 177 of those new neighbourhood officers in place.
“Over the coming months and years, with my plans we will see more officers, visible, out on the streets, embedded in communities to help tackle crime and keep people safe.”
