Local policing is being enhanced as community teams publish their mobile phone numbers to help react swiftly to non-emergency incidents. And West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin was briefed on the initiative when she met with West Mercia Police Chief Constable Anthony Bangham to discuss local policing issues. He confirmed that the Safer Neighbourhood policing team numbers have been protected and they are publishing mobile phone numbers to encourage local people to speak directly to their local police. Although 999 should always be used in emergency, it is often easier to speak directly to a local officer rather than use the 101 non-emergency phone number. Harriett commented: “We all value the work that local police officers and community support officers do and I think this initiative to publish their contact details is really helpful. “People want to see police visible in their local communities and this shows that West Mercia police is committing to being as accessible and responsive as possible. “I also had interesting discussions with the Chief Constable on speeding issues, which is something that often crops up in my post bag and I know the Safer Roads partnership works well to investigate and enforce problem areas. “The police force is also keen to recruit more officers and it is good to hear Anthony being confident about the service the police delivers for us all.”