Residents and victims of crime in Shropshire have had their say on West Mercia Police in the latest public perceptions survey ran by Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion.
Confidence in the force remains high with 79% of respondents in Shropshire confident they would receive a good service.
Action by the PCC has seen an increase in police officer numbers to the highest level in more than a decade. This is being positively received with over half of respondents saying they are satisfied with the levels of policing in their area.
Receiving a response to an emergency is vital for communities to be safe and feel safe. 83% of respondents are confident they can speak to or access police services in Shropshire if they are in an emergency.
Prevention and intervention schemes, funded by the PCC, such as We Don’t Buy Crime along with an increase in visible and accessible police officers are having an impact on tackling crime and anti-social behaviour. In Shropshire, 79% of respondents do not think crime and ASB are a problem.
Other key findings of the survey include:
- 20% of those surveyed in Shropshire say they see an officer or PCSO at least once a week.
- Across the policing areas, the vast majority (93%) said that West Mercia Police has their support and 88% said they trust West Mercia Police.
- Over two-thirds of respondents felt the police were doing either an excellent or good job.
- Seven-tenths (70%) of respondents felt that West Mercia Police understand the issues in their community.
PCC John Campion said: “I would like to thank everyone who has had their say in the latest public perceptions survey. As the voice of the public in policing, I really value hearing from residents and victims about their views, experiences and confidence in West Mercia Police.
“Policing has a really unique position in our society, one which is built on a relationship of trust between the force and the people they serve. As PCC, I am committed to strengthening this special contract by ensuring West Mercia Police delivers on the matters that mean the most to you.
“It is reassuring to see trust, confidence and support in West Mercia Police remains high, but I am under no illusion there is still more that needs to be done. As part of next year’s budget, I am proposing to increase police officer numbers to the highest establishment level in West Mercia. I will continue to challenge and support the force to ensure a visible and accessible police presence is felt across all our communities.”
Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Jones said: “Keeping people safe by offering the very best service is at the heart of what we do and ensuring we have the confidence of the public to deliver a quality policing service is paramount.
“I am encouraged that we retain the trust and confidence of the majority of people who live and work in our communities, but I can assure you that the hard work to improve our service doesn’t stop there. Each of our officers and staff is dedicated to not just maintaining people’s confidence but to improving our service wherever we can by delivering on our commitments laid out in our Local Policing Community Charter.”
