Police back on the beat in "the heart of communities" across Staffordshire

We're told a major overhaul to policing in Staffordshire will see hundreds of officers back patrolling in local communities and responding to incidents faster.

It's after Staffordshire Police today launched its new local policing model for the county, which brings significant investment in the number of officers responding locally throughout Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.

The new model sees emergency response officers operate from 10 local areas alongside neighbourhood officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).

Stoke-on-Trent

Stoke North has a dedicated local policing team (LPT), which covers Hanley, Burslem, Tunstall and the surrounding areas, with a dedicated Chief Inspector and Inspector. They are:

• Chief Inspector Simon Brownsword

• Inspector Hayley Eaton.

Stoke South has a dedicated local policing team (LPT), which covers Longton, Meir, Stoke and Trentham, with a dedicated Chief Inspector and Inspector. They are:

• Chief Inspector Rob Hessell

• Inspector Eloise Bowen.

Staffordshire

The Moorlands has a dedicated local policing team (LPT) with a dedicated Chief Inspector:

• Temporary Chief Inspector Karen Cooke.

Announced in February 2022 by the newly appointed Chief Constable, Chris Noble, the changes have been made to enable officers to respond quicker to emergencies; develop enhanced local knowledge in order to solve problems; have more time to investigate and provide a high-quality, consistent and caring service for victims of crime.

The ten Local Policing Teams (LPTs) which will consolidate teams and increase the force’s three current response bases, are:

1. Leek

2. Hanley

3. Newcastle

4. Longton

5. Stafford

6. Burton

7. Codsall

8. Cannock

9. Lichfield

10. Tamworth

Chief Constable, Chris Noble, said: “It is critical we are more closely embedded in, and visible to, local communities so we can work most effectively with the public and partners to solve issues and prevent crime and I am confident this approach to policing enables greater ability to deliver against these aims.”

As part of the new model, bespoke harm reduction hubs will operate in every local policing area, made up of dedicated problem-solvers who will tackle high demand, high risk crimes and anti-social behaviour through prevention, effective partnership working and early intervention.

Chief Inspector Simon Brownsword, of the Stoke North Local Policing Team, said: “We’ve worked with communities, partners and colleagues across the force to design a model that will allow us to focus on the issues that matter the most to people in Stoke-on-Trent, and respond in the way they need us to. This could be in emergency situations, working with partners to tackle the root causes of anti-social behaviour and criminality, or protecting the most vulnerable.”

Temporary Chief Inspector Karen Cooke, of the Moorlands Local Policing Team, said: “We’ve worked with communities, partners and colleagues across the force to design a model that will allow us to focus on the issues that matter the most to people in Cheadle, Leek, Biddulph and the surrounding areas, and respond in the way they need us to. This could be in emergency situations, working with partners to tackle the root causes of anti-social behaviour and criminality, or protecting the most vulnerable.

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