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.
But less than half are satisfied with the numbers of police they see in the community.
The results come from interviews with 3,000 people during the last year.
In Worcestershire, they show 83 per cent have confidence in the police, with 71 per cent saying they think local crime and anti-social behaviour are not a big problem or not a problem at all.
However, just 47 per cent said they were satisfied with the level of police officers but, of the bobbies on the beat, 65 per cent reckoned they were doing a good or excellent job.
Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia John Campion said: “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.”
West Mercia Chief Constable Anthony Bangham 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,” said Mr Champion.
“I will continue listening to and working for our communities to ensure those improvements are delivered.”
Former Redditch PC and now 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.”
