At a time of social distancing and public lockdown, police and crime commissioner John Campion is using technology to connect with West Mercia’s communities through podcasts.

The PCC’s ‘The Safer West Mercia Podcast’ series aims to shine a spotlight on areas of policing and services that provide support to victims of crime, by speaking with those at the heart of it.

It is hoped listeners will not only gain an insight into these areas, they will also benefit from practical advice.

In light of the current situation, the PCC has released an episode focusing on the changes to police powers and how communities can pull together in the fight against coronavirus.

Along with this episode, listeners can also find an interview with West Mercia’s Victim Advice Line, where the PCC talks to the team about the types of support available for victims and how to access it, as well as an interview with one of the team of Rural and Business Officers who gives practical advice on preventing and reporting rural crimes.

PCC John Campion said: “In this current situation, as we are all finding ourselves using technology more than we have before in order to stay connected, podcasts are just another great way of engaging with people.

“Through the series I have created, I hope to give communities across West Mercia a useful insight into the services communities can receive, and how to access them. It also provides a quick and easy way of communicating important news in a timely way.”

“I have found it really interesting to hear how passionate people are about the services they deliver, and how they make a real difference to peoples’ lives, and I hope that our listeners will too.”

The podcasts can be found on Spotify and Buzzsprout for download or to listen on Apple Podcasts.