A major new independent study has found people in West Mercia have high levels of confidence in their police force, and feel safe in their communities.
The results come from interviews with 3,000 people over the last year, which show:
– 85% of people have confidence in West Mercia Police
– 72% think crime & ASB in their community is not a big problem, or not a problem at all
– 53% of people see a police officer or PCSO locally at least once a month
– 69% of people think the police are doing an either ‘good’, or ‘excellent’ job
– 51% of people are satisfied with levels of local policing. 25% are not satisfied.
PCC John Campion said: “I promised that as Commissioner I would listen and respond to views in our communities. I also promised I would ensure our communities are safe, and feel safe. This study, and its results, are clear examples of those promises being delivered.”
“The overall picture is encouraging, but there is more to do. Too many people don’t feel safe. I have increased officer numbers in West Mercia to their highest level since 2012. In return, the Chief Constable has committed to improving police visibility, accessibility and responses, as well as public confidence and victim satisfaction. Those improvements need to be felt right across West Mercia. I will continue listening to and working for our communities to ensure those improvements are delivered”.
Deputy Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman said: “I am incredibly proud of our officers, volunteers and staff and believe we are a police force that our communities can be proud of. It’s promising that this study supports this and shows that we are providing a strong, compassionate service that local people have confidence in.
“We are not complacent however and as part of our commitment to continuous improvement we are working to further improve visibility, victim support and satisfaction and tackling the issues that mean the most to our communities.”
