New Aldridge police station opens
Chief Constable Craig Guildford has officially opened Aldridge’s new police base
Chief Constable Craig Guildford has officially opened Aldridge’s new police base.
Located in the town’s fire station, the facility is home to the Aldridge and Brownhills neighbourhood policing teams.
The new base on Northgate keeps officers in the heart of the communities they serve, while moving them closer to the part of the town which has higher demand for their services.
Opening the facility, Chief Constable Guildford was joined by chief fire officers.
Officers moved into the station on 1 September following the disposal of their old base on Anchor Road.
Pictured: Local Inspector Arita Chonkria, Walsall Police Superintendent Gareth Mason and WMP Chief Constable Craig Guildford
Chief Constable Craig Guildford said: “Operationally and financially, this was a decision made some time ago which I reviewed and endorsed as Chief Constable. It is people we employ who help keep community safe, not how many bricks we own.
“The new base retains a local presence in a much more cost-effective way for local partners and the public purse.”
Aldridge police base has been listed for closure since 2018 when the Police and Crime Commissioner agreed to the Chief Constable’s recommendation to dispose of the site.
That decision was carefully scrutinised in a public meeting and the plans openly communicated.
Cash from the sale of the building has paid for the move and changes inside the fire station to make it suitable for police use. The remaining funds have been reinvested into policing.
Bloxwich police station remains the borough’s policing headquarters. It includes a public contact office where people can talk to us face-to face. The majority of people prefer to get advice and report crime 24/7 via our website or by calling us on 101.
Simon Tuhill, Chief Fire Officer for West Midlands Fire Service, said: “I’m confident this partnership will bring lasting benefits to our teams and the communities we serve. It will help both services optimise resources and reduce costs to improve service for our communities.
“By working together, we also enhance our approach to risk management. Such cooperation means we can deliver faster, more integrated responses to incidents.
“It will foster a stronger understanding of each service’s operations, enabling more effective mutual support.”
Crime in the area is down compared to 2024. Current priorities for the town’s neighbourhood policing team include preventing theft from shops, reducing antisocial behaviour and stopping drug dealing.
The website UK Crime and Safety Statistics | CrimeRate describes Aldridge as: “The second safest medium-sized town in the West Midlands, and is among the top 20 safest overall out of the West Midlands' 44 towns, villages, and cities.
“For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as a whole, Aldridge is the 27th safest medium-sized town.”
Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, said: “I welcome the opening of this new police base in Aldridge, which delivers on my commitment to ensure the local Neighbourhood Policing Team remains within the community that it serves, which is exactly where it needs to be.
“By working in partnership with the fire service, we are ensuring that officers have modern, 21st century, fit-for-purpose facilities that represent value for money and will deliver effective and efficient policing for the people of Aldridge.
“This move is part of my commitment to rebuild community policing, to ensure an accessible, reassuring and visible police presence, to prevent and tackle crime and keep people, families, businesses and the local community safe and secure.”
The new Aldridge police base brings the total of WMP offices in WMFS stations to six.
The Police and Crime Commissioner owns all West Midlands Police buildings. The Chief Constable is responsible for how we use those buildings, to enable police officers to keep people safe.
The decision to acquire or dispose of sites is made by the PCC, based on operational policing recommendations made by the Chief Constable. The recommendations are fully scrutinised in public meetings with the relevant documents published on the PCC's website: Home - West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner (westmidlands-pcc.gov.uk).
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