More police officers pledged for Walsall community after crime increase
A Walsall community is to be given more police officers in response to concerns about rising crime and antisocial behaviour.
Borough commander Chief Superintendent Phil Dolby last night told an at times testy public meeting that more resources would be rolled out in Blakenall which would become an Impact Area.
He told the meeting at Bloxwich Memorial Hall – which was also held in the wake of the murder of Bailey Atkinson three miles away in Walsall town centre on January 28 – that despite a limited budget efforts would be made to crack down on problems.
The police boss said: “I’m going to be moving some people (from other areas) and put them into Blakenall to create an Impact Area. Caldmore is an Impact Area. That does not mean more money. I have not got any more money to give. We have got challenges. We only have so much in resources.”
As an Impact Area officers will work closely with Walsall Council, health and community agencies in a bid to tackle underlying issues.
He also explained that from April there would be changes in the management of Bloxwich Police Station, where force response and investigation teams were currently based, to give senior officers more control over how resources were being deployed.
About 100 people attended the meeting at the social club, in Harrison Street.
However, several residents suggested to him that not enough was being done to address issues including knife crime, adult females being verbally abused by badly-behaved youths, street begging and community reassurance.
Resident Kirsty O’Mara told the meeting: “There should be tougher penalties to deal with some of the young people who are causing problems in the community.
Faith
“We shouldn’t have to put up with these things. People in Blakenall have gone to prison to get out of here.”
Ashley Corbett, 29, told the meeting that people had lost faith in the police.
Chief Supt Dolby replied: “Certainly since Covid relationships with some groups have been affected because we were working to prevent people from congregating. There have been issues with the Met police and the behaviour of some officers which I’m not going into, but I’m furious about them.
“I tell my staff that we need to earn the right for people to trust us.
“The officers work really hard, they get assaulted all the time and are not at home much.”
Walsall Police invoked a Section 60 order allowing stop and search in the aftermath of the death of the 20-year-old who lived in Bloxwich, situated near Blakenall.
The powers were put in place in both Walsall and Bloxwich to help keep residents feel safer alongside extra patrols.
Chief Supt Dolby also revealed that as a result of the action two people detectives wanted to speak to in connection with the attack were arrested when officers stopped the vehicles they were in.
Blakenall ward representative Councillor Pete Smith told the meeting: "My perception is that crime particularly antisocial behaviour has got worse and worse in the last few years. It's not justifiable - about the police not doing anything.
"I am sure they are stretched to the limit."
Councillor Smith said he welcomed the announcement that Blakenall would now be an Impact Area.
He also said people were frustrated with the non emergency contact number 101.
"People are giving up because calls are not being answered which means that crimes are not being reported."
Chief Supt Dolby replied: "The 101 system is not as it should be or where it should be to serve you. The new Chief Constable will be looking at this."
