West Mercia Police's low rate of bobbies on the beat revealed
West Mercia Police has one of the lowest rates for bobbies on the beat in the country, according to new figures.
The statistics reveal the force has just 8.5 frontline officers per 100,000 population, the second lowest ratio in the UK.
Only the Sussex Constabulary, which has 8.3 uniform beat officers per 100,000, comes lower.
Warwickshire Police, which is in a strategic alliance with West Mercia, had the third lowest ratio of beat officers, at 8.7 while Dyfed-Powys Police came in at sixth from bottom, with 9.3.
Full story?
However, West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said the numbers did not tell the whole story, as greater investment in technology meant officers were now able to spend more time on the beat.
The study, by the Sunday Times, found the number of beat bobbies across England and Wales had fallen by a third in three years.
It found 7,000 traditional neighbourhood police officers had either been reassigned to other duties or left their jobs altogether since March 2015.
The figures also reveal that nationally, the number of officers in back office or administrative roles have increased by 25 per cent over the same time period, despite the Government pledging to protect frontline policing.
Home Office statistics showed overall police numbers had fallen by 20,000 in recent years.
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But the number of neighbourhood officer were disproportionately affected, falling from 23,928 in March 2015 to 16,557 in March this year.
The Government says 92 per cent of officers are frontline, but that figure includes more than 40,000 behind-the-scenes rolls such as intelligence analysts.
The number of officers in back office, legal departments and human resources jumped from 3,528 to 4,434.
Mr Campion said: “My investment in new technology such as laptops and mobile phones is enabling officers to spend an extra hour per shift in the community.
"That fact is not reflected by simply looking at numbers of officers. However, West Mercia is recruiting new officers this year.”
Firearms officer shortage
There is a shortage of specialist firearms and public order officers in West Mercia Police, according to Chief Constable Anthony Bangham.
In his annual force management statement, Mr Bangham said the number of firearms officers were, at present, below the required level, and that this was considered a ‘high risk’.
He said that recent terrorist incidents had led to all forces looking to increase the number of firearms officers.
But he revealed West Mercia was struggling to compete with neighbouring forces, many of which cover highly populated urban areas where the perceived risk of gun-related crime is greater.
“The pull of West Midlands Police requirement in this area has meant that West Mercia Police has lost some staff,” he said.
Mr Bangham said the West Mercia and Warwickshire police forces plan to give 761 officers public order training as part of a joint initiative to respond to major events.
The chief constable said in his annual force management statement that 525 officers were given specialist training in 2017, and there were plans to increase this to meet the required target.
Mr Bangham said there were no specific terrorist threats in the force area last year.
But he said recent events in both the UK and continental Europe had heightened awareness about the risks of such an attack.
Experience of attacks in France show that areas like Shropshire that are away from main cities can also be a target. “The risk, whilst very modest, is elevated at iconic places,” said Mr Bangham.
“It is not just a potential threat or issue for bigger cities, however there is no specific intelligence indicating a direct terrorist threat anywhere in the force.”
He said an appropriate contingency plan had been developed in order to ensure an effective response in the event of a terrorist firearms attack.
