Policing Priority
Business Crime – driving down retail crime in Walsall town centre and bringing offenders to justice.

July Update
We have launched #SaferStreetsSummer a national initiative running in Walsall Town Centre and town centres across the UK focusing on anti-social behaviour, retail and street crime. The Home Office Safer Streets Summer initiative is part of the Government’s mission to restore and strengthen local policing in communities and reduce or prevent anti-social behaviour, which forms part of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee

Operation Prosper, a three month operation in Walsall town centre targeting organised crime and youth violence and anti-social behaviour has proved to be a great success with more than 40 arrests made and over 70 stop and searches carried out. Operation Prosper was launched back in April for 12 weeks. During that period, 43 people were arrested for a variety of crimes. The main arrests were theft from shops and stalls, possession of Class A drugs and possession of a knife/bladed article or offensive weapon. There were also 72 stop and searches.

August 2025 update:

As well as our own high visibility independent patrols the Local NHT officers have conducted a number of patrols in partnership with Walsall Trading standards, Walsall Community Protection Teams. Also working closely with security located at various shops and stores to tackle shoplifting and business crime particularly in Walsall Town Centre.

The new Designated Neighbourhood Officer (DNO) has attended meetings with business partners to support, help and advise in ways of dealing with business crime.

In some of our larger shops we have conducted a number of crime prevention surgeries. Offering a hi visibility reassuring presence to shop staff and customers a, as well as crime prevention advice. Also acting as a deterrent to those shop lifters who may have been thinking of theft at the time.

September 2025 update:

Our new Business Crime Coordinator PC Tongue has been attended meetings with business partners particularly with the larger stores in the area, to support, help and advise in ways of dealing with business crime.

Over the last period there have been a number of arrests made against suspects involved in shop thefts. There were 9 arrests made on various individuals who had been involved with different shop theft crimes across Walsall Town Centre and other areas.

Policing Priority
Reducing Serious Youth Violence - Taking a firm stance on reducing violence involving young people in and around Walsall Town Centre.

July 2025 Update:
Officers in Walsall are participating in #SaferStreetsSummer which is a national initiative running in town centres and high streets across the UK focusing on anti-social behaviour, retail and street crime.

On the 9th July, a male appeared in court after we charged him with threatening one of our officers with a knife in Walsall. Under 25 Serious Youth Violence is a Walsall LPA priority and we will continue to tackle this issue with our key partners and communities.

Operation Prosper,
A three month operation in Walsall town centre launched in April to target organised crime and youth violence and anti-social behaviour has proved to be a great success with more than 40 arrests made and over 70 stop and searches carried out. The main arrests were theft from shops and stalls, possession of Class A drugs and possession of a knife/bladed article or offensive weapon. There were also 72 stop and searches which resulted in weapons being recovered including knives, knuckle dusters, a broken mirror with a pointed edge and a broken glass bottle with serrated edges. We also seized Class A drugs and stolen cars were also recovered.

August update 2025

Town Centre officers supported by wider specialist operational teams including Operation Guardian officers have carried out a number of patrols in Walsall Town Centre. We will continue to be proactive and visible in our efforts to tackle serious youth violence in and around the town centre. Educating young people on the dangers of carrying a knife is also one of our priorities. We have dealt with a number of situations appropriately including having conversations with young people who are out and about,while the schools are on holiday, and when we have come across them as part of our regular hi visibility patrols.

September update 2025

We continue to be proactive and visible in our efforts to tackle serious youth violence in and around the town centre. Carrying out targeted patrols and educating young people on the dangers of carrying a knife is also one of our priorities.

We have started to build good and positive relationships with the community that access the Youth Hub based in the Saddlers Centre in Walsall Town Centre. Drop in visits and meetings at other locations have taken place.

Walsall College students are starting a new Streetwatch group this month. Along with officers from the team and the Streetwatch SPOC the trained student volunteers will be conducting regular patrols in and around the College and the Town Centre. Engaging with local businesses and members of the public to help dampen any ASB activity that may occur.

Priority Agreed at PACT meeting on 7th May.

Tackling alcohol and begging related ASB in and around Walsall Town Centre. Residents have concerns when they visit the Town Centre about the behaviour of a few individuals.

July 25 up date:
St Matthews NHT has a new Designated Neighbourhood Officer (DNO) to support the A.S.B. team, dealing with this issue.

There have been regular A.S.B. patrols conducted by officers from all 3 St Matthews NHT within Walsall Town Centre.

Patrols focusing on A.S.B. in the Town Centre took place as part of the forces A.S.B. week. Leaflet drops and discussions with members of the public took place, on how and who to report A.S.B. related issues too.

An ASB team has been established to tackle this issue.
Our officers, along with the support of other policing colleagues and Walsall Council Safety Officers continue to carry out daily patrols in and around the town centre targeting public place related anti-social behaviour and the people intent on committing crime.

August 2025 update

On a daily basis we conduct our own high visibility independent patrols. Local NHT officers have also conducted a number of patrols in partnership with Walsall Community Protection Teams. We have also continued working closely with security located at various shops and stores to tackle begging ASB, linking in with Walsall Council Housing Team were appropriate. Patrols have been dealing with alcohol related issues crime particularly in Walsall Town Centre.

September 25 update

Walsall College students are starting a new Streetwatch group this month. Along with officers from the team and the Streetwatch SPOC the trained student volunteers will be conducting regular patrols in and around the College and the Town Centre. Engaging with local businesses and members of the public to help dampen any ASB activity that may occur.

On a daily basis we conduct high visibility patrols within Walsall Town Centre. With support from the new Business Crime Coordinator and the new DNO we continue working closely with security and staff located at various shops and stores to tackle begging ASB, also linking in with Walsall Council Housing Team were appropriate. Targeted patrols have been dealing with alcohol related issues crime particularly in Walsall Town Centre.

Priority Agreed at PACT meeting on 7th May

Concerns raised regarding vehicles speeding on: Highgate Road, Princess Avenue and Lincoln Road

Update for July:

A Community Speed watch group involving St Matthews Officers and Community volunteers has been formed to help monitor vehicle speed on Highgate Road area.
Police continue to monitor these areas for speeding vehicles.

August 2025 update

The community Speedwatch group have conducted 2 Speedwatch operations on Highgate Road where 10 vehicles have been found to be driven over the limit. Appropriate action was taken to notify the drivers of these vehicles.

The local NHT have conducted patrols through and around the area of Highgate Road and have dealt appropriately with a driver of a vehicle causing ASB.

September 2025 update

The local NHT have conducted patrols through and around the area of Highgate Road and other areas and have dealt appropriately with drivers of a vehicle causing ASB. Also a number of vehicles were dealt with over this period, by being seized, due to either not being taxed or not being insured or both.

There was a community Speedwatch on the Birmingham Road where a driver was speeding above the road limit. The driver will receive the appropriate action necessary.

At the beginning of the month there was a Police traffic operation on Mellish Road. Over the period of the operation there were 16 speeding offences; 2 drivers without wearing seat belts; 7 vehicles were stopped and drivers spoken with. Appropriate action has been taken against the offending drivers.