Police forces could share control room

West Mercia’s force, which is working with Warwickshire in a strategic alliance, has announced the planned closure of its control room in Battlefield, near Shrewsbury, meaning staff are being relocated to its other control room at the force’s headquarters in Hindlip.

Since the alliance, which was agreed on last year, the two forces have been sharing a number of resources. A spokeswoman for Warwickshire this week said: “No decision has been made on the future of the three communication centres, but a number of options are being considered.”

While the closure of the Battlefield control room will affect 84 supervisors, call handlers and communications operators, West Mercia’s head of operation support command, Chief Superintendent Trevor Albutt, has said the service to the public will remain the same. The employees will be offered jobs at Hindlip or other opportunities elsewhere within the force.