Police Community Support Officers in the West Midlands cut by 190

The number of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) on the streets has fallen dramatically by 30.7% since 2015.

Analysis of new Home Office statistics commissioned by the Liberal Democrats from the House of Commons Library has shown the drastic cuts to PCSOs in the West Midlands

A total of 430 full-time equivalent PCSOs were employed in the West Midlands as of September 2022. This is in stark contrast to the 620 that were employed in March 2015 - meaning there have been 190 PCSOs cut from West Midlands Police in that time.

The Liberal Democrats have accused the Labour Police and Crime Commissioner of letting communities in the West Midlands down by taking Police Community Support Officers off the streets, leading to more crimes going unsolved and victims going without justice

The Liberal Democrats have stepped up their criticism of Labours policing plans in recent months, and have been vocal in their opposition to plans to centralise the force, closing Halesowen and Brierley Hill Police Stations in favour of a new Dudley "Super Station."

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Cradley & Wollescote Ryan Priest has slammed Labour for this move, which means that fewer police officers are visible on the streets, building relationships - and trust - with local people. The party has called for a return to proper community policing operating out of smaller police hubs and are particularly focused on getting a new station built in Lye.

Responding to the figures, Ryan Priest Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Cradley and Wollescote said:

"These shocking figures prove that the Labour Police and Crime Commissioner is failing to prevent crime across the West Midlands. He should be ashamed.

"Police Community Support Officers play a vital role in keeping our communities safe. We should be empowering them to do their job, not slashing their numbers into oblivion."

"Liberal Democrats are calling for a return to proper community policing, where officers are visible, trusted and known personally to local people. We will build communities where people are safe - and feel safe, too."

"We do that by putting money into local policing teams and giving them community-based hubs to operate out of - not by continuing with this Super Station vanity project"