Extra 300 police to be taken on

More than 300 extra police staff are to be taken on in the West Midlands in the next year, it has emerged. The force says it is looking to take on 178 officers.

Some 111 police support staff and 62 police community support officers are also being sought.

West Midlands Police say the new posts will be deployed across the region depending on where and when they are needed. Some will replace workers who leave throughout the year.

More than 100 of the new posts have been funded through a council tax precept increase of 6p a week for an average band D property. That will pay for an extra 40 police officers, 37 police staff and 30 community support officers.

They rest will be funded from central Government.

Police say a two-day recruitment drive in Birmingham last month has led to more than 1,000 potential officers signing up.West Midlands Police spokesman Jim Levack said today: "The additional staff will further bolster the ground-breaking work of West Midlands Police in specialist fields such as counter terrorism and the National Ballistics Intelligence Service."

The force is also planning web chats so people can talk to officers. They will be between 12pm and 2pm on April 8 and 29, May 13 and 27 and June 17. Go to www.west-midlands.po lice.uk