My name is Sergeant Reeves, and I am excited to introduce myself as the new Sergeant of the Erdington Neighbourhood Team.
Firstly, I want to say thank you to Sergeant James Hurdrige for all his hard work over the past year in looking after Erdington.
Allow me to provide you with a brief summary of my background. I have been working with West Midlands Police for 19 years, starting as a Special Constable in 2005. Following that, I transferred to Warwickshire and served an additional seven years there.
In 2007, I joined West Midlands Police full time and began working as a call handler and front office staff member. Over time, I progressed to the role of dispatcher until 2018 when I became a Police Officer.
Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with various neighbourhood teams, and I am now eager to take on the responsibility of overseeing the Erdington area.
However, I want to emphasise that while my team and I will be responsible for ensuring the safety and well-being of the community, we cannot do it alone. We rely on the support of our partner agencies and, equally importantly, the collaboration of the community.
We require your support in reporting matters so that we are aware of any issues within your community. Please be aware we may not be able to attend all reports, this may be due to other commitments. By informing us of problems in your community can assist us in providing supporting evidence to facilitate us requesting additional patrols from other departments.
By working together as a community and actively looking after our area, we can create a better and safer place to live.
I am excited about the opportunity to serve as your Sergeant and contribute to the safety and well-being of the Erdington community.
Your active participation and collaboration are essential to achieving our shared goal of creating a safer and more secure environment for everyone. I look forward to working with you and getting to know the community better.
Ripped police tape on Castle Vale High Street / Pic by Ed King
Councillor Ray Goodwin (Castle Vale, Labour) has called for an “urgent meeting” with West Midlands Police after multiple sources warn the Tyburn Neighbourhood Police Team (NPT) currently based on the estate could be moved to Erdington Town Centre.
For several weeks, stakeholders and individuals across Castle Vale have been told the Tyburn NPT are being relocated to the constituency’s main station on Sutton New Road – leaving their current base at The Greenhouse, office premises owned by The Pioneer Group, based on Castle Vale.
Following requests for information by both Erdington Local and Cllr Goodwin, at the time of writing West Midlands Police (WMP) and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPPC) – the two organisations responsible for community policing across the region – have not given any compatible statements confirming or denying a possible move, leaving many concerned about the future of community policing on the estate.
With increasing concerns that Castle Vale, an area which depends on a visible police presence for public safety, could lose its community police officers, Cllr Goodwin has demanded clarity from both WMP and the Police and Crime Commissioner and promised to “challenge” any decision that could see less visible community policing on the North Birmingham estate.
Cllr Ray Goodwin (Castle Vale, Labour) / Pic supplied by Birmingham Labour
In a statement made to Erdington Local, Cllr Ray Goodwin told: “I am deeply concerned to have spoken to a number of stakeholders who have had it confirmed [that there will be] the withdrawal of the Neighbourhood Policing Team from Castle Vale – despite receiving assurances from West Midlands Police… there are no plans, at this point, to relocate.
He added: “Yet two weeks later we have been told the [Tyburn Neighbourhood Police Team] officers will be moved out in three weeks. I will, alongside other partners, be seeking an urgent meeting with West Midlands Police to challenge this decision on behalf of the community in Castle Vale.”
Erdington Local first contacted both West Midlands Police and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner about the issue on 25 September.
WMP stated all “all enquiries regarding Estates is dealt with by the [O]PCC” and promptly referred the enquiry to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.
On 26 October, the OPPC responded by saying: “there are no plans, at this point, to relocate [the Tyburn NPT]” but added “if operational requirements change, our estates team will be on hand to deliver an appropriate solution.”
Police invetsigating reports of gunshots and violent disorder on Castle Vale / Pic supplied by local resident
After continuing confirmation from sources on Castle Vale that the Tyburn NPT are indeed relocating, with Erdington Police Station on Sutton New Road cited as the new location, the OPPC then responded on 9 October saying it was “an operational policing matter” and not one for the Police and Crime Commissioner.
With the ball bouncing back to WMP, a spokesperson for the Force confirmed on 17 October the Tyburn NPT currently “remain at their Castle Vale base” – but crucially did not confirm or deny any possible plans to relocate them in the future.
Police invetsigating reports of gunshots and violent disorder on Castle Vale / Pic supplied by local resident
The Tyburn Neighbourhood Police Team, which operates community policing on a patch stretching from Bromford and Castle Vale to Gravelly Hill and up to parts of Pype Hayes, have been based at The Greenhouse since the closure of the Castle Vale Police Station in 2017.
On 3 April 2023, West Midlands Police launched a new Neighbourhood Policing Strategy, led by Chief Constable Craig Guildford, which planned to make officers responding to crime “more local to provide a better service”.
Supporting the new strategy, the West Midlands Police Federation stated: “We are going to be more visible, we are going to be engaging more with the public and we are going to start talking with our partners again. It will be much better for the public.”
Chief Constable Guildford, who came into post in December 2022, added: “The new local policing model will help us to get better at solving local issues and preventing and solving crime by working in partnership with communities to deliver justice and keep people safe across the West Midlands.”
Castle Vale statue outside Chivenor Primary School / Pic by Ed King
In a statement issued by the OPPC in October 2023, addressing changes to local police teams and stations, it was confirmed that for Castle Vale: “Neighbourhood Policing Teams are currently co-located within a partner building (The Greenhouse). This will continue.”
Stakeholders on the Castle Vale estate are continuing to be told the Tyburn Neighbourhood Police Team will be relocated.
Erdington Local has asked both WMP and the OPPC for further comment about any existing or future plans around the location of the Tyburn NPT.
