Stoke-on-Trent is deploying two new dedicated neighbourhood police officers to combat crime and anti-social behaviour across the city's town centres. PC Warren Dooley and PC Matthew Whiston will provide a visible policing presence, working alongside the council's anti-social behaviour team and other local partners to make Stoke safer.
The appointment follows significant progress already made in Stoke through focused policing work. Areas including Fenton, Shelton and Tunstall have seen crime and anti-social behaviour reduced by around 20 percent. The Weeding Them Out campaign has also seized £246,000 worth of illegal goods and cut cannabis grows by 50 percent year-on-year.
Councillor Duncan Walker said the new officers will "build on the progress already being made across the city" and help establish town centres as "safe, welcoming places for people to visit, live and work." The move represents a continuation of Stoke's commitment to community-focused policing.
Residents and businesses across Stoke are encouraged to speak directly with the officers while they are on patrol. Anyone with concerns affecting their local area can raise them with PC Dooley and PC Whiston as part of the council's wider partnership approach to keeping communities safe.