Oswestry, Telford and Shrewsbury get new town centre policing teams
Oswestry, Telford, and Shrewsbury will now have special teams of police officers assigned specifically to patrol their town centers starting today.
The town center teams are among ten additional teams being launched in various towns and cities within the West Mercia Police force region covering Shropshire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire.
Every team will concentrate on issues that are important to the downtown area, like theft and crimes in stores, and collaborate closely with nearby shops and businesses.
The teams will collaborate with partners to prevent and address inappropriate behavior, as well as crime and disorder associated with nightlife.
Implementing the Safer West Mercia Plan set out by the Police and Crime Commissioner, the creation of specialized teams is a key part of our shared dedication to making sure that police officers are visible, available, and dedicated to addressing the most important concerns of the communities we support.
Assistant Chief Constable Grant Wills of Local Policing and Operations stated, "We understand that the community desires to have law enforcement officers present in their neighborhoods. Our town center squads will enhance police visibility in our most bustling cities and towns."
The new teams will concentrate on stopping common crimes like shoplifting and retail theft in city centers. Police officers will collaborate with nearby stores and businesses to proactively combat these crimes that affect them the most. They will lead the investigations for shoplifting incidents where a suspect has been caught and work on finding solutions to prevent future issues.
Many of our town centers have a lively nightlife, and our town center teams will collaborate with licensed establishments to guarantee a secure evening for all.
Assistant Chief Constable Wills stated that it is crucial for the police officers to be present in the right places at the right times to prevent crime and provide reassurance to our communities. This includes both urban and rural areas, with the existing safer neighbourhood teams ensuring coverage in the villages.
In the three regions we cover, crime rates are on the decline and more cases are being resolved than ever. The introduction of our new units will further boost our fight against crime.
The funding for the teams comes from Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion's budget for the year 2024/25.
"I have heard, taken action on, and successfully fulfilled the requests from the community to have specific police teams in our town centers," stated Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion.
Small businesses are vital to our communities, and by investing in them, we can create unique teams that will be present and easy to reach. These teams will also help reduce crime and collaborate with retailers to address their issues.
