| West Mercia Police | |
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| Logo of the West Mercia Police. | |
| Mission statement | Serving - Protecting - Making The Difference [1] |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1974 |
| Preceding agencies |
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| Employees | 4,409[2] |
| Volunteers | 251[2] |
| Annual budget | £184.3 million[2] |
| Legal personality | Governmental: Government agency |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction* | Police area of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford and Worcestershire in the country of England, UK |
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|
| Map of West Mercia Police's jurisdiction. | |
| Size | 7,408 km² |
| Population | 1.16 million |
| Legal jurisdiction | England & Wales |
| Governing body | West Mercia Police Authority |
| Constituting instrument | Police Act 1996 |
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Worcester |
| Constables | 2,737 (of which 251 are special constables)[2] |
| Police Community Support Officers | 272[2] |
| Agency executive | Paul West QPM[2], Chief Constable |
| Child agency | Central Motorway Police Group |
| Divisions |
5
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| Facilities | |
| Stations | Worcester (C DIV HQ / Custody), Pershore, Malvern, Evesham, Broadway, Droitwich, Tenbury Wells, Upton-On-Seven, Stourport, Bewdley, Hagley, Wythall, Rubery, Redditch (Custody), Kidderminster (D DIV HQ / Custody), Bromsgrove, Hereford (E DIV HQ / Custody), Leominster (Custody), Bromyard, Ledbury, Peterchurch, Ross-on-wye, Kington, Telford (F DIV HQ /Custody), Wellingon, Donnington, Madeley, Newport, Shrewsbury (G DIV HQ / Custody), Bishop Castle, BridgeNorth, Church Stretton, Ludlow, Market Drayton, Oswesry, Pontesbury, Wem, Whitechurch, Albrighton, Cleobury, Ellesmere, Highley, Much Wenlock, Shifnal, |
| Website | |
| http://www.westmercia.police.uk | |
| Footnotes | |
| * Police area agency: Prescribed geographic area in the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction. | |
West Mercia Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the counties of Shropshire (including Telford and Wrekin), Herefordshire and Worcestershire in England. The force area covers 2,868 square miles (7,430 km2) making it the fourth largest police area in England and Wales. The resident population of the area is 1.16 million.
The force is divided into five divisions and represent a very wide spread of policing environments from densely populated urban conurbations on the edge of Birmingham and the city of Worcester to sparsely populated rural areas found in the rest of the force area.
As of November 2008, the force employs 2509 police officers, 290 community support officers, 1884 police staff and 245 members of the Special Constabulary. [1] West Mercia is Home Office force 22 and call sign YK.
In 2005 the police force was rated the best of the Home Office forces in England and Wales by the government.
The force has its headquarters in the historical manor house and grounds of Hindlip Hall on the outskirts of the city of Worcester. Its logo combines the heraldry of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire.
The force was formed on October 1, 1967, by the merger of the Worcestershire Constabulary, Herefordshire Constabulary, Shropshire Constabulary and Worcester City Police. [2] [3] It lost territory to West Midlands Police when that was constituted on April 1, 1974. It changed its name from "West Mercia Constabulary" to "West Mercia Police" on 5 May 2009.[3]
West Mercia is a partner, alongside two other forces, in the Central Motorway Police Group.
Contents |
Divisions
- E- Herefordshire
- F- Shropshire (excluding Telford & Wrekin)
- G- Telford & Wrekin
- D- North Worcestershire
- C- South Worcestershire
Merger plans
In November 2005 the government announced major reforms of policing in England and Wales, which raised the prospect of West Mercia Constabulary being merged with other forces in the West Midlands region.
Under final proposals made by the Home Secretary on February 6, 2006, it would merge with Staffordshire Police, Warwickshire Constabulary and West Midlands Police to form a single strategic force for the West Midlands region. This came under particular criticism from West Mercia Constabulary, especially as it was rated the best force in the country. Instead, the constabulary wishes to remain a separate force. The proposals are also unpopular with many of the local authorities in the West Mercia area. As of July 12, 2006 the merger plans have been put on hold.
When John Reid became Home Secretary in 2006, he put plans back to merge the force – it seems likely that the plans might be scrapped altogether.
Death on Duty
- On 6 May 2007 a police officer was shot in Shrewsbury when attending a domestic incident[4].
Bibliography
- Policing Shropshire 1836-1967 by Douglas J. Elliott. Contains black and white plates, including illustration of badges as a frontispiece. Shropshire Police was amalgamated into the larger West Mercia Constabulary in 1967.[4]
See also
- List of police forces in the United Kingdom
- Policing in the United Kingdom
- Central Motorway Police Group
References
- BBC News Online (2005). "Police merger plans are unveiled". http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/4551284.stm. Retrieved 2005-12-02.
- BBC News Online (2006). "Police mergers outlined by Clarke". http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4685952.stm. Retrieved 2006-02-06.
- BBC News Online (2006). "Concern as police merger dropped". http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/5172494.stm. Retrieved 2006-07-12.
External links
Footnotes
- ^ http://www.westmercia.police.uk/aboutus/strategy.htm
- ^ a b c d e f http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/performance-and-measurement/performance-assessment/assessments-2007-2008/west-mercia
- ^ http://www.westmerciapoliceauthority.gov.uk/index.php?p=1000416
- ^ Detail from a copy of Policing Shropshire published by K A F Brewin Books in 1994 with ISBN 0 947731 01 6
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