Operation Fearless officially launched on 7 January, bringing a specially recruited police taskforce to Erdington High Street to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in and around the Town Centre.
So far, the team behind Operation Fearless have made a raft of arrests from drug dealing and shoplifting and taken both offensive weapons and violent offenders off the streets – with those arrested sent to answer for their crimes in court.
A month after the official launch of the policing initiative, the officer leading the Operation Fearless team – Detective Superintendent Jim Munro – has a special update message for Erdington locals and residents.
“It’s hard to believe it’s already been a month since we launched Operation Fearless in Erdington. I’m really pleased to say we’re already seeing some real improvements on the High Street and in the surrounding area.
“You’ve probably noticed the increased police presence – more officers patrolling and we’ve been making more arrests too.
“A huge part of this success is down to some fantastic partnership work. My team has been working closely with the Council, immigration services, HMRC, and Transport for West Midlands. It really shows how much we can achieve when we all pull together.
“The support and feedback from local residents has been fantastic. We know people haven’t been feeling safe on the High Street, and some have even told us they’ve been avoiding the area altogether because of drug dealing and anti-social behaviour. We’ve also been talking to local businesses who have been hit hard by shoplifting – it’s been a real struggle for them.
“Since we boosted the police presence on the High Street, the difference has been noticeable. The community and business owners have told us they feel much safer. There are fewer suspicious characters hanging around, and the increased police presence has been really reassuring. Businesses are also reporting a decrease in shoplifting, and some of the most prolific offenders seem to have disappeared – which is excellent news.
“We’ve had some great results this past month. We’ve made over 36 arrests, with 16 charged and remanded, including some persistent shoplifters and people in possession of knives. We also carried out 60 stop searches, with 15 positive outcomes – that’s a 25% positive outcome rate. On top of that, we’ve executed eight warrants, recovering drugs and dangerous weapons from our streets.
“I know you, Erdington Local readers, and the wider community, will be pleased to hear about these results. I want to reassure everyone that we’re not taking our foot off the gas. We’re committed to tackling the criminals who pose a danger to our communities. I’ll be providing regular updates like this, so you can keep track of our progress.
And finally, if you see our officers out and about, please stop and have a chat. We’re always keen to hear your feedback and work with you to make the community even safer.”
Official launch of Operation Fearless at Villa Park and on Erdington High Street 07.01.25
For more on Operation Fearless direct from West Midlands Police visit www.westmidlands.police.uk/police-forces/west-midlands-police/areas/campaigns/campaigns/operation-fearless
Excellent to see the officers in the high street and not before time too. I will make efforts to say hello to officers when I see them – a massive thank you for your efforts just don’t go anywhere we still need you.