INCREASING POLICE OFFICER NUMBERS

In early February, Staffordshire Commissioner Ben Adams proposed police precept – the contribution residents make as part of their annual council tax – was approved following a consultation with residents about how much they would be willing to pay for the service.

We are investing in 26 more police officers in the next year or so, taking us to the highest number of officers in 15 years. We will strengthen local policing teams and focus on increased visibility and enhancing community patrols.

Investment in new technologies to enable us to respond faster and free-up officer time is a big priority for us in the next 12 months. This includes capabilities that allow information such as CCTV and other data to be brought together quickly during incidents and digital forensics to identify criminals faster. 

To improve how accessible and responsive our force contact centre is, we will be introducing an AI virtual assistant, designed to handle non-emergency queries, provides information on topics like lost property, and redirect users to appropriate services. It has been trialled by Thames Valley Police and the Isle of Wight Constabulary and is not a replacement for 999 emergency calls or crime reporting but serves as an additional service alongside existing online forms and telephone lines.

The role of AI in policing is rapidly evolving, shaping the way policing interacts with communities and delivers services. However, this will support professional judgement, not replace it. It will be ethical and proportionate.

Another priority is to continue to tackle serious and organised crime. Additional funding will allow us to build on the progress achieved disrupting groups involved in high-harm activities like drugs supply, human trafficking, child exploitation, fraud and cyber crime.

Acting Chief Constable Becky Riggs said: “We recognise the need for additional officers in local policing, and despite funding being challenging, we’ve achieved that through this increase in precept and our savings programme.

“It is our ambition to be an outstanding local police service that delivers what matters to victims and local communities. While we operate within a challenging and changing environment, our plan remains ambitious.

“Thanks to previous investments that have been made, we have seen reductions in key areas such as residential burglaries and theft from the person.

Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime Ben Adams said: “This has been another challenging year for setting the police budget. Once again, government grant funding does not fully cover the increased cost of inflation, pay rises, or national policy decisions. The government talks about increased ‘spending power’ for emergency services, but unfortunately this relies on above-inflation increases in local council tax. 

“My preference would always be not to raise council tax. However, this would lead to real cuts in your police service and a reduction in their capability to keep you safe.

“Every penny raised will be focused on strengthening the service, so it is fit for the future. This, coupled with robust savings, will mean we are all better off and safer. It will allow us to continue investing in officers and staff, and ensure they have the equipment and skills required to keep themselves – and you – safe.”