COMMUNITIES are to get extra neighbourhood police officers, including one for Worcester, while hate crime officers have been given a different focus.
In total, West Mercia Police is to get 14 more neighbourhood police officers, including one for Worcester city and two each for Droitwich and Stourport.
The officers will be deployed to areas in Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire as part of a commitment from the Chief Constable and Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) to strengthen community policing.
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Chief Constable Richard Cooper said: “Neighbourhood officers exist to solve the crime and safety problems affecting local communities.
“As well as obvious benefit to the public, this helps policing colleagues who would otherwise pick up the demand.
“That’s why we are reallocating 14 officers into neighbourhood roles in the places where they will have greatest impact.”
Bromyard in Herefordshire will receive three additional officers.
John Campion, Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “Residents tell me time and again how much they value seeing officers on the beat, building relationships and responding to local concerns.
“The Chief Constable and I share that commitment.
“After delivering record numbers of police officers in West Mercia, we are focused on ensuring communities feel the full benefit of that investment.”
The overall number of officers in the force remains unchanged, with the new placements part of a strategic reprioritisation.
Officers will begin taking up their new roles over the coming months. An additional 13 roles—including intervention, prevention, and hate crime officers—have also been ‘realigned to better address community issues and integrate those concerns into frontline neighbourhood teams’.
