West Mercia’s PCC Newsletter – December 2025

Welcome to my latest newsletter.

Please find information on the police settlement, my latest perceptions survey, road safety messaging, news about the impact of town centre policing teams, and detail of action being taken to tackle rural crime concerns.

Finally, may I take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a safe and joyful 2026.

Police and Crime Commissioner, John Campion

Police settlement 

PCC John Campion has expressed concern that the settlement for police funding has fallen short of the expected amount – yet again placing policing at the bottom of the priority list.

The settlement, announced yesterday (18th December), has left a number of police forces – including West Mercia – with uncertainty, as the full details aren’t expected to be shared until the new year.

Please find below the full statement.

Latest perceptions data shows increase in police visibility

More residents are seeing West Mercia Police officers out and about in communities and overall confidence in the force has remained steady at 80%, according to my latest quarterly perceptions survey.

From the period July to September this year, a fifth of residents said they saw a police officer or PCSO at least weekly.

This represents a 4% rise when compared to the same period in 2024 and reflects my investment and commitment to deliver record numbers of police officers, and the hard work of those already serving with the force.

I’ve also been shining a spotlight on the work being done to tackle crime and bring offenders to justice, in my latest Assurance & Accountability meeting with the Chief Constable.

According to the latest performance data, overall crime has remained stable, with significant decreases in business and community burglary, as well as reductions in vehicle offences and shoplifting incidents.

999 and 101 call-answering times are improving, and police response times to those calls have remained stable.

While progress is being made, it’s important you feel the benefits of record police officer numbers and changes to working practices in order to drive improvements.

I will continue to work with and challenge the Chief Constable to ensure you not only feel safe but are safe too.

Violent robbery gang gets total sentence of 82 years

A gang of seven robbers were handed a total of 82 years in prison on 12 December, following a vicious robbery at an address in Herefordshire last year.

The men from the West Mercia and Midlands area – aged between 18 and 20 years old – had pre-planned the robbery at the music studio in the Whitecross area, after travelling there by train from Birmingham.

The victim was held at knifepoint, punched, and hit over the head with a glass. He needed treatment in A&E and has been left with mental health issues.

The men were caught fleeing the scene by police officers and a police dog who’d been in the area.

An eighth defendant, who is 16 and cannot be named for legal reasons, is due to be sentenced on 12 January 2026.

Thankfully, these types of vicious, pre-planned attacks are rare in West Mercia, and it is testament to the skills of the officers on the scene that they were caught so quickly.

Hundreds of packs of illegal cigarettes seized

Listening to community concerns and working with partners is a key part of my commissionership and the successful delivery of a policing service.

Responding to community concerns around the illegal sale of goods including tobacco, West Mercia officers attended a mini mart in Leominster.

With the help of Herefordshire Trading Standards and PD Griff (pictured), hundreds of packets of illegal cigarettes and illicit tobacco, together with more than £17k in cash were seized on 2 December.

I will continue to work with the Chief Constable and our partners to ensure the force has the resources it needs to respond to community concerns promptly and effectively.

Keeping West Mercia’s roads safe this Christmas and 365 days a year

Reducing the harm caused on West Mercia’s roads is a key commitment in my West Mercia Safer Communities Plan and a year-round priority for me, and I know from the correspondence I receive that it’s a priority for you too.

Over the past three years, across our three counties, there have been 13 fatalities and 132 serious injuries on the roads where alcohol has been a contributory factor. A further 24 fatalities and 100 serious injuries were the result of collisions that involved drugs.

Whilst the vast majority of drivers do the right thing, the force arrested 186 people across West Mercia during December 2024 for being over the limit whilst behind the wheel.

That’s why I’m backing the force’s Christmas Presence campaign, which aims to keep everyone safe this festive season.

There is absolutely no excuse for drinking or taking drugs and then getting behind the wheel. The consequences can be catastrophic – not just for the driver, but for innocent people, families, and communities.

With delivering safer roads at the heart of my police and crime plan, I fully support efforts to reduce harm on our roads. Through high-visibility patrols and robust enforcement, West Mercia Police will ensure those who choose to put lives at risk, at this Christmas time and 365 days a year, are identified and brought to justice.

Mature drivers’ sessions helping to keep West Mercia’s roads safe

Further delivering on my road safety commitment, more than 300 people have now taken up the opportunity to refresh their driving knowledge through Mature Driver Virtual Reality sessions that I subsidised in West Mercia.

The sessions are put on in partnership with West Mercia Roads Policing, West Mercia Police, and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, and have received positive feedback from those attending.

Earlier this month, my Assistant PCC Tracey Onslow attended one of the sessions to see first hand the positive impact the sessions are having.

Farmers encouraged by response to rural crime concerns

Farmers have praised the improved policing service they’re now receiving with regards to rural crime, following a direct intervention from myself and West Mercia Police rural crime officers, in response to community concerns.

My Deputy PCC Marc Bayliss attended a recent NFU meeting, where they said the new rural crime training for West Mercia Police call handlers was making a real difference, and that they felt heard and understood.

I also saw first hand the work being done, when I joined PC Bolton on an evening patrol in Worcestershire. Part of PC Bolton’s patrol involved driving through and past farms to check outbuildings and fields for signs of hare coursing.

With a third of our communities living in a rural setting, I’m focused on ensuring they feel the presence and impact of this action.

Contribution of Special Constables to be recognised with discounted council tax 

Delivering on my commitment to tackling crime and putting the voice of the community at the heart of policing, I’m keen to see more Special Constables join the West Mercia Police ranks.

I’m therefore working with councils, with a view to giving Specials who volunteer more than 200 hours of their free time, the opportunity to claim 25% off their council tax bill.

Specials work across a variety of policing teams and play a vital role in keeping you safe, and I know you share my view about the positive impact they have in your local areas.

With police officer numbers at a record level of 2,518, Special Constables bolster these ranks, enabling the force to deliver even greater community-focused policing.

As PCC, I’m immensely proud of the work they do and that work should be recognised.

Standing together in support of White Ribbon Day and ending VAWG

With White Ribbon Day having just taken place on 25 November, the campaign acts an important reminder to us all that there is too much violence perpetrated by men towards women.

As a society, we must do ever more to make sure that women and girls are safe as they go about their lives in West Mercia free from threats of harm. I will play my part as PCC to make sure lessons learnt from this year’s campaign are brought to life all year round.

In 2023, my office achieved White Ribbon accreditation, with champions and ambassadors appointed across my team.

I also help fund services such as West Mercia Women’s Aid who support female victims of domestic abuse, and Willowdene who run local initiatives to support out of court resolutions that nurture positive change.

I promise to continue to do all I can to provide West Mercia Police and the communities of West Mercia with the resources and support they need to make VAWG a word that becomes part of the history books, not the future.

Together we can make a difference.

Victim Support Gateway – support when you need it most 

Finally, Christmas can be a time, for some, when they are more likely to need help.

Support and advice can be found on the Victim Support Gateway in West Mercia, and I invite you to share this weblink and information with your friends, family and colleagues.

Delivered by Victim Support, the service provides free and confidential support to victims of all crimes, regardless of whether the crime has been reported to the police.

Victim Support Gateway can be contacted from Monday to Friday via telephone 01905 726 896 or email –VictimSupportGateway@victimsupport.org.uk.

The service is open from 8am-8pm. Outside of opening hours, victims can get in touch with Victim Support by calling the charity’s free 24/7 support line on 0808 16 89 111 or via LiveChat.

Police action in your local area

Find out some of the work West Mercia Police is doing by clicking your local policing area: