More visible patrols reduced crime (Image: Getty)
A police force has hailed a drop in crime thanks to an old-fashioned approach – swamping the streets with extra patrols of highly-visible beat bobbies. On Monday, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced plans to reform the “broken” policing model in England and Wales by creating super-police units and reducing the number of regional forces from 43 to just 12.
But Staffordshire Police have revealed reducing crime can be as simple as bobbies pounding the beat after using 13,126 hours of overtime to increase visible patrols on their streets. From May 2025 to January 2026, local officers carried out extra duties across 19 different hotspots to drive down crime and as a result arrested 350 people, saw serious violence down 11 percent and knife crime by 29 percent.
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Superintendent John Owen, who has been leading on our problem-solving approach, said: “We hear it often that people want to see officers on the beat, being visible and acting directly on their main concerns – this initiative is a great example of that happening in Staffordshire.
“All of these hours have been put in by officers on top of their own duties in their own specialist fields. They’re spending more time engaging on a closer level with people and tackling problems head on.
“This initiative is about acting on data, focussing our proactive efforts on the areas most affected by crime, and putting more officers in the right places to tackle issues proactively and effectively.
“It’s really pleasing to see this working well across Staffordshire, and I can assure local communities that we are continuing to focus on our neighbourhood policing delivery to best serve people living, working and visiting Staffordshire.”
This week the home secretary promised a “new model of policing”, radically shifting the way police forces work in the country.
The new government white paper will slash the number of police forces across the UK, and introduce a new National Police Service (NPS) to tackle major crimes.
Mahmood compared the NPS to a “British FBI”, aimed at tackling cross-regional and international crime. Existing police forces would focus more on local crime.
The new, larger force would tackle more serious and organised crime, as well as complex cases including international trafficking and drug operations.
Meanwhile, smaller, local forces, which the home secretary argues are less well equipped to deal with serious crime, will focus on “everyday” crimes such as shoplifting and phone theft.
Officer on the beat (Image: Getty)
But in Staffordshire, police revealed that reforms aside – old-fashioned methods of bobbies on the beat with visible patrols is the real driver to reducing serious crime.
It comes following a £1-million allocation to the Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime to tackle knife crime, serious violence and anti-social behaviour.
Money was used to pay officers over 13,000 hours of overtime to carry out 16,000 extra beat patrols – and log more than 14,000 engagements with local people and businesses.
They arrested more than 350 people and saw overall crime in the hotspot areas reduced by eight per cent, alongside a two per cent overall reduction across Staffordshire.
Staffordshire Police added: “Across our key areas of focus, we were also able to reduce serious violence by 11 per cent and knife crime by 29 per cent.
“While we have experienced an increase in ASB across the 19 areas, we are continuing work proactively in local communities to address the root causes of these issues and to use all of the legislative powers we have to stop prolific offenders.
“The National Action Fund pot is linked to the government’s Safer Streets Mission to halve knife crime in 10 years and crack down on ASB.”
Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime Ben Adams said: “Residents and businesses consistently tell me they want to see a visible, proactive Police presence, and it’s clear that these additional neighbourhood patrols are making a real difference in hotspot areas.
“Local feedback is essential in helping the Police understand what is happening in a community, and further prevent crime and anti-social behaviour.
“I would encourage everyone to continue reporting their concerns to the Police, to allow them to tackle the issues that matter to them.”
