West Mercia is expanding to meet extra demand generated by new officers.

A new firearms training centre has been given the go ahead as part of the commitment to ensure West Mercia Police has extra capacity.

And the force has updated on its Uplift recruitment of 31 new officers.

The new complex which, subject to planning permission, will be built at West Mercia Police’s headquarters in Worcestershire will feature a 50 metre indoor range, a building search facility training area and a training school with classrooms.

The project has begun to ensure compliance with national standards around officer training.

West Mercia said it is part of a wider, long-term plan into the police estate.

PCC John Campion said: “West Mercia is thankfully a low crime area where police firearms deployment is relatively rare, however this new state-of-the-art facility is vital to ensuring that West Mercia Police can continue to keep communities safe.

“Police firearms training is quite rightly undertaken to exceptionally high standards in West Mercia. This facility will ensure those high standards can be built on for generations to come.

The announcement is the first major strategic announcement since new Chief Constable Pippa Mills took over in September last year – and a key part of the changes that followed the end of West Mercia’s alliance with Warwickshire which ended nearly two years ago.

Other work includes improving digital services for officers and staff as IT support had also been part of the shared services deal.

It came just days after the force also revealed the latest group of uplift recruits are heading out on duty.

The next group of 31 recruits has signed on for duty and the force has confirmed it is continuing to recruit.

CC Mills said: “With a real mix of experience from previous careers in the military, construction, prison service, retail and customer service sectors, I’m proud to call them colleagues.

She added: “We welcome the investment in our firearms training facility which reinforces our commitment to deliver an excellent service and keep our communities safe.

"As the public would quite rightly expect, firearms officers are trained to exceptionally high standards and it is vital we are able to continue to do this with modern facilities that are fit for purpose and suitably equip our officers to face the challenges of armed policing.”