A new focus on neighbourhood policing will be introduced across Lichfield and Burntwood as part of a county-wide plan.
Staffordshire Police will add an additional 144 officers to teams across the county, with 75 of them starting in June and July.
The force says it will also add an additional 50 detectives by autumn.
Chief Constable Gareth Morgan said: “I have always maintained a promise to invest in neighbourhood policing and I am pleased to announce the additional officers that will soon be working within our local teams.
“I know police visibility matters to the communities of Staffordshire, as does investigating localised crimes affecting people’s everyday lives. That’s why these changes have been made – these officers will be focused on preventing crime, locally. They will be working collaboratively with partners and other agencies to deter offenders through education and early intervention.
“We continue to be challenged financially and while we have been boosted by the precept increase, this move of resources to neighbourhoods is primarily a redistribution of existing, serving officers.
“As part of the reallocation of resource, I’ve also invested to boost capacity within our investigations teams.
“One of the biggest national challenges is the growing complexity that comes with investigating serious crime and the time-intensity it can often bring. The additional officers in this area will improve our ability to improve investigative outcomes and raise standards within our digital investigations for example.”
Ch Cons Morgan also said the new policign model would see changes to emergency response teams.
The sale of Chasetown police station had led to Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis suggesting that a traditional station-based approach was no longer appropriate.
The new changes will see emergency teams responding to 999 calls from one of three response ‘hubs’ located across Staffordshire before being deployed to locations such as key road junctions or areas of high demand.
Ch Cons Morgan added: “Separating out response teams from neighbourhood teams means we can balance demand with resource more effectively.
“We’ve streamlined the service so we can respond as and when the public needs us to, across the whole county. Improved technology and dispatch processes will also ensure officers can stay out on patrol longer, with less requirement to go back to a station or ‘hub’.
“These changes will improve the way we respond, problem solve, investigate and prevent crime.
“ising crime levels and the changing face of crime has put pressure on our ability to achieve these aims and that is quite simply, unsustainable.
“I’m confident that this new policing model will allow us to provide a better overall service to the public we serve.”
Two observations:
The number of coppers on the beat is not quantified and given the roles outlined, the number of posts and the shift/leave system, means probably none.
The use of ‘hubs’ is the same as the ambulance service deployment system, which is not wonderfully efficient.
“Staffordshire Police will add an additional 144 officers to teams across the county, with 75 of them starting in June and July.” – Chief Constable Gareth Morgan
“Numbers are set to increase by over a hundred officers at the most local level in neighbourhoods. – Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis (still waiting on just how good a deal the sale of Chase Town Police Station was Mr Ellis)
Perception: Oh great we are getting an extra 144 coppers on the beat locally that actually police the community
“We continue to be challenged financially and while we have been boosted by the precept increase, this move of resources to neighbourhoods is primarily a redistribution of existing, serving officers.
Truth: No extra feet on the beat but what we are getting are 144 officers we have been paying for for god knows how many years that have been doing what exactly.
Sound bites and spin, that’s what we are getting. I suppose given that they will be stationed at major junctions they will be filling their down time using speed cameras and ANPR to increase the constabularies coffers by way of fines. Looks good on paper but these idiots are always two steps behind the blaggers.
Cynical view of this announcement I suppose but age tells me it’s true.