West Mercia Police one of top performing forces (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

West Mercia Police one of top performing forces

4:41pm Thursday 11th March 2010

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By Neil Watts

West Mercia Police has been recognised as one of the top performing forces in the country, according to a new report.

That is despite the assessment by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) revealing not enough serious sexual offences are being solved and an increase in the number of incidents involving guns.

The number of serious sexual offences solved last year was slightly below average compared to peer forces but the trend was improving.

While the number of incidents involving guns increased slightly, gun crime accounted for less than one per cent of all crime in West Mercia.

The Police Report Card showed no poor grades and the force had achieved a number of promising results.

West Mercia Police was rated as good for confidence and satisfaction, solving crimes, reducing crime, local policing, visible presence in neighbourhoods, reducing road death and injury and meeting the standards of the Policing Pledge.

The force has also been graded as excellent for preventing knife crime and received a good/excellent grading for comparative satisfaction of the BME (Black and Minority Ethnic) community.

Deputy Chief Constable, David Shaw, said: “It is important for public confidence in the police that forces are held to account. We welcome the HMIC report card as a way for the public to understand the work we do to keep them safe and how well we are doing it.

“We feel a sense of satisfaction the HMIC has recognised West Mercia Police as one of the better performing forces in the country.

“This is testament to the hard work put in by all our officers and staff and to the support we receive from our partner agencies, local communities and the West Mercia Police Authority.

“However, we are constantly seeking to improve. We never relax when it comes to trying to give the best service possible to local people, who we want to thank for the huge amount of support they give us. “ West Mercia is the fourth largest force area in England and Wales. It covers 2,868 square miles and spans Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and Worcestershire.

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