Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion is promising to deliver on the priorities that matter most to the communities of West Mercia, as he prepares to increase investment in policing significantly.
Building on the Commissioner’s funding that delivered 215 additional police officers, his draft budget for 2020/21 will use the additional support from Government, which includes the extra 93 officers, to maximise the impact of tackling crime within our communities.
Addressing the concerns of the communities is at the heart of the Commissioner’s strategy and he will ensure West Mercia Police direct additional resources to vital areas of policing. This includes:
Investigations into tackling criminality around drugs, gangs, cyber-crime and sexual offencesSupport for local problem solving teams around anti-social behaviour and burglaryResources that will increase police visibility and reduce the number of those killed or seriously injured on our roads through enforcement and education
The Commissioner will target funding for projects and initiatives that reduce criminality, lower demand on the police and improve victim services. This further demonstrates his ongoing commitment to early intervention and preventing crime from happening in the first place.
Commissioner John Campion said: "As with previous years, my budget has been developed with the public in mind. I have focused investment around the areas that our communities care about and want to see improvements in. It will deliver on my pledge to increase visibility of the police, ultimately improving the service and accessibility for the public.
"Since being elected, it has been my clear drive to deliver a balanced budget so the police can live within their means. I will only ever ask communities to pay what is needed to deliver an efficient and effective police service. The funding from both the Government and West Mercia residents will allow the force to stand strong and face the growing demand and ever-changing crime types with the resources it needs to tackle it. Our communities deserve the very best from their police force, which is why I remain committed to delivering that."
The Commissioner's final budget proposals also include more money for tackling domestic abuse, reducing crime through prevention initiatives as well as investing in the infrastructure that supports West Mercia Police. The Police and Crime Panel will scrutinise the Commissioner's plan next month (February).
To read the draft budget in full, click here.
Issued on: Thursday 30th January
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