A NEW advisory group has been created by West Midlands Police, aiming to help the operations unit.
The group (IAG) has been set up to provide independent advice to teams within Firearms, Dogs, Operational Support Unit, Roads Policing and Safer Travel.
They were shown clips of incidents such as a pursuit carried out by traffic cops and how firearms officers handled a siege and welcomed questions from the group.
The group were shown around our firearms range, specialist police cars and even got to meet police dogs Nate and Riot who put on a demo showing off their skills.
Inspector Lee Bradley from the Firearms Unit, said: “This was a great opportunity for us to show what perhaps the public don’t always get to see from the teams within our Operations Unit.
“We want to be transparent about why we do what we do and get independent feedback on where we could improve.
“There’s so much more to our Operations Unit outside of what you see online and on TV and it’s important for us to share this.
“The IAG will no doubt prove to be a critical group for us to consult with. They have such a wide and varied outlook, with the ability to provide advice and feedback and also keep us updated with concerns from communities across the West Midlands.”
IAG member Razia Hadmait, CEO and Founding Director of Himaya Haven CIC, said: “I loved the evening it was full of information. It was lovely meeting the entire team and learning about the wonderful work they do and the risks they take for us.”
IAG member Sharon Concannon said: “Having worked across a number of other forces, we often find ourselves telling new recruits just how fortunate they are to be joining what we truly believe is the best force in the UK, one that is genuinely committed to supporting its workforce.
“This event really reinforced that belief. The demonstrations from each department clearly showcased the passion, dedication, and camaraderie across the force. It was both inspiring and humbling to see the lengths officers go to in order to keep our communities safe.
“We’re already looking forward to the next one.”
