Police launch new 24-hour road crime unit after 'dramatic change'

A general image of a police officer
-Credit: (Image: Stoke Sentinel)


A specialist police team is being introduced in a bid to tackle road crime. The unit, based in Staffordshire, hopes to better investigate collisions, proactively enforce road safety, support families and victims, and tackle crime committed using road networks.

It comes after "the crime landscape has changed dramatically in recent years," a spokesperson for Staffordshire Police said. Officers will be able to respond quicker to incidents across the county including rural and remote areas that aren’t very close to local policing hubs and urban crime teams, a spokesperson for the force added

Specialist officers will also now be more visible and better placed to respond to incidents. A spokesperson said: "We can now work more closely in collaboration with partners, including National Highways, local authorities, and neighbouring forces meaning that local issues and priorities can be dealt with more effectively.

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"In the long-term, it will be more cost effective. Officers based in Staffordshire will now be spending more time in the county, meaning better opportunities to engage with local communities and an increased understanding of local priorities and intelligence"

Chief Inspector Scott McGrath, who leads the road crime team, said: "This is a really exciting time for the force and for members of the local community that we proudly serve on a daily basis. It’s absolutely crucial that we continue to adapt the service we provide based on best practices and the changes we see in crime and behaviour in the modern world.

"While the restructure of the existing roads policing team does mean we operate solely in Staffordshire, it does not stop us from continuing to utilise the strong relationships we’ve built with neighbouring forces. We’ll still be sharing intelligence regularly, going after the criminals who offend across the West Midlands and working collaboratively with other police forces to keep communities safe and to minimise the risk of harm.

“There’s specialists in every department in this new team and I’m really keen to get started on delivering on the issues that matter most to local people and to proactively police our road networks and rural areas across Staffordshire.”

Deputy Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime Dave Evans is Co-Chair of the Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership, alongside Staffordshire Commissioner Ben Adams. Dave added: "With a joined-up, cohesive approach to policing our road and motorway network, this new model should have a positive impact on tackling criminality as well as reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.

“Our communities will benefit from increased visibility, with Staffordshire Police officers able to focus on addressing local needs and priorities. A more efficient allocation of officers and equipment within our region should also lead to improved response times and effectiveness in tackling local road safety issues.

“Roads policing was a priority in the Commissioner’s last Police and Crime Plan and remains a priority in his refreshed Plan, as vehicle crime is a concern for our communities. Over the last three years, the Roads Policing Unit has expanded and is now operating 24/7, with enhanced capability including through our Office’s continued investment in Automated Number Plate Recognition technology.”