We asked new police boss why we should trust the force

A self-confessed ‘optimist’, the new West Midlands Police boss believes the ‘fractured’ relationships some members of the public have with the force ‘can be fixed’. And asked how the public can trust the force, Chief Constable Craig Guildford said: “This isn’t the MET”. Announcing a new localised model of policing across the region,[1] he vowed to “deal directly” with anyone contravening the standards of West Midlands Police.

Through boosting officer numbers on the region’s streets, being “out there” and “answerable” to people’s concerns, he hopes the approach, announced on Monday, can build back trust in certain communities. In earning that same trust, Chief Con Guildford also cited the importance of recruiting a “diverse mix” of officers to represent the people the force serves. Just last year, as Lozells was rocked by yet more serious violence, police were criticized for failing to build “deep relationships” within the community.

For years, community activist Saidul Haque Saeed, Citizens UK organiser, called for an exact plan to reduce the knife and gun crime plaguing the area, but said he felt officers were more interested in “L for Linked in than L for Lozells”. We also told how more than 50,000 callers, across the West Midlands, hung up their 999 call before getting through as they were waiting too long for an answer last year. This figure soared in 2022, as under-pressure staff struggled to cope with the volume of calls, BirminghamLive reported.[3]

Now, it’s hoped this new localised model of policing, with more officers, higher visibility and a Chief Superintendent commander for each area, will help to ‘make local areas safer’ – and build trust within communities. Asked how he will earn trust, Chief Con Guildford said: “Definitely by our acts, by our visibility, by our response to their calls, how good we are at investigating and giving people feedback, catching those responsible and bringing them before the courts, presenting good evidence.

Chief Constable Craig Guildford (Image: WMP)

“But mostly, I would say is about ourselves being out there and being answerable to the local community. In some of those areas you’ve mentioned where individuals may have that perception, putting ourselves forward in those areas and answering people’s concerns much more in the future than we have in the past.”

Asked if the lack of trust some have in the force was fixable, he added said: “I think it is, I’m an optimist. Part of the policing model being more local is in terms of generating good employment opportunities for local people, I want to see the mix of people entering West Midlands Police[4] change. “I think some of the work that’s gone on before has started that move to recruit an organisation that’s not 100 per cent white and not 100 per cent male.”

Earlier this year, we revealed a number of ‘disgraced’ West Midlands Police officers had been sacked for their behaviour. Officers were hauled in front of disciplinary panels after incidents came to light, while in some cases embarrassed officers jumped before they were pushed as they quit their roles. Former West Midlands officer[5]Pc Joe Courtney was prosecuted over racist comments[6] made about a female colleague at a Christmas[7] party.

He was said to have “disgraced the force” as he was fined GBP200 and ordered to pay another GBP200 in compensation.

West Mids Police Chief Constable Craig Guildford on Soho Road in Handsworth. (Image: Birmingham Live)

He resigned in June but force chiefs said he would have been sacked for his behaviour. A disciplinary hearing was told the comments “caused a great deal of upset” to his colleague. We asked how then, with issues such as racism, misogyny and homophobia said to be allegedly ‘institutional’ at the Metropolitan Police, can we trust in any force? “This isn’t the MET, some of those issues are particularly shameful,” responded Chief Con Guildford.

“But those issues as themes occur in every police force, big or small, across the UK. We are no different, but there is nowhere on the scale of the MET, I can assure you, in all my experience across a number of forces.

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“I’ve asked people [about trust] as I’ve been going around in various areas, my answer to that question is we police by consent,” he said. “I have a very firm stance on our standards, upholding our standards and will deal directly with anyone who decides to contravene those.” The new model came into effect in communities across seven policing areas; Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley[8], Sandwell, Solihull[9], Walsall[10] and Wolverhampton.

Through a renewed focus on local policing, Chief Constable Craig Guildford said he hoped to “try and solve some of the intrinsic problems” the region has suffered with for years. Though officer numbers are still down by up to 1,000 from the 2010 cuts, it’s hoped the recent addition of 450 police officers in the community will help “keep people safe”. Have you been affected by crime in the city?

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References

1. ^ Announcing a new localised model of policing across the region, (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
2. ^ The Birmingham school fighting to clear up streets as ‘drug addicts dump used syringes’ nearby (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
3. ^ BirminghamLive reported. (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
4. ^ West Midlands Police (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
5. ^ officer (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
6. ^ racist comments (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
7. ^ Christmas (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
8. ^ Dudley (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
9. ^ Solihull (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
10. ^ Walsall (www.birminghammail.co.uk)