About the Midlands
Police Department
According to the West Midlands Police, it “is the second largest police force in the country,
covering an area of 348 square miles and serving a population of almost 2.6 million.
The region sits at the very heart of the country and covers the three major centres
of Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton. It also includes the busy and thriving districts of Sandwell, Walsall, Solihull
and Dudley. Leisure, retail and conference amenities, together with Premiership and Championship football teams, attract millions
of visitors annually.
The
West Midlands is an area rich in diversity, with 18 per cent of its population from ethnic minority backgrounds. An average
of 170,000 motorists travel through the region daily, making its motorways some of the busiest in Europe.
Against this backdrop, the force deals with more
than 2,000 emergency calls for help every day, as well as patrolling the streets and responding to incidents 24-hours-a-day,
seven days a week. The force is made up of 8,616 police officers, supported by 4,240 police staff, 651 special constables
and 814 police community support officers (PCSOs).
The force is divided into 21 operational command units (OCUs), each headed by a chief superintendent
who is responsible for the overall policing and management of the area.
The 21 OCUs are divided into 297 neighborhoods, each policed by a dedicated neighborhood team consisting
of police officers, police community support officers and special constables."
