Police and Crime Commissioner axed
The government have chosen to scrap the role of Police and crime commissioners across the country, including West Mercia, the one covering Telford.
The idea is to save money, and allow an extra £20m to bolster front line policing annually.
PCC John Campion who was elected into the role at West Mercia gave his reaction to the shock news;
“Today’s announcement came as a surprise, as it was not part of the Government’s manifesto commitments, therefore Police and Crime Commissioners have not been involved in shaping or inputting into what is being proposed.
“As the voice of the public and victims in policing, supporting and challenging our extraordinary police service, I remain deeply committed to ensuring this work continues until 2028 when the term was always due to finish.
“If the Government has identified a better way to achieve these outcomes, I will fully engage in that debate to ensure the public remains at the heart of this function.
”I will continue to focus on delivering for the communities of West Mercia – this has not changed and will not change. As a result of the record number of police officers I have delivered, with crime continuing to fall, my mission remains to ensure our communities receive the full benefit.
“Whilst the discussions will continue around how this important public service is governed; I want to pay tribute to the extraordinary people who make up West Mercia Police and those who support my commissionership in my office.”
