West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has welcomed the confirmation that West Mercia Police is recruiting a further 93 officers with a focus on staffing them in rural areas. The news was confirmed by Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion who met with Harriett and local trade representatives last week in Malvern to talk about local crime issues. West Mercia Police has already recruited 215 extra staff and a fresh budget commitment from the Government will mean that 93 more staff will be hired – specifically to fill the gaps where rural policing has shrunk in recent years. The recruitment plan was welcomed the MP and representatives from traders in across Malvern, Barnards Green and Upton-upon-Severn. The group discussed better collaboration between businesses and the local police teams to prevent crime across the area. The PCC updated the group on the use of ANPR number plate recognition technology to help prevent serious crime and initiatives like smart water marking which are being rolled out across the county. Harriett commented: “There is some really positive news that John Campion has been able to share about the extra police recruitment which comes on top of the 215 extra police recruited this year. “The focus will be on putting extra officers on the front line in rural areas where there has been a decline in recent years and this news was welcomed by the local traders groups. “We had a very constructive conversation about how local traders can work closer with the police to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour. “There was a commitment to using channels like WhatsApp and Facebook groups to share information and intelligence and with extra police on the beat, I hope that this will see a general reduction in issues faced by local retailers.” Photo: West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion, Harriett Baldwin MP and Sergeant Simon Hallam.