Your local team
Hi, I’m Inspector Pete Poolton and I cover the areas of St Matthew's including Walsall town centre, Caldmore, Pleck, Paddock, Palfrey, Willenhall & Darlaston.
I have been within the police service for nearly 26 years and relatively new to my neighbourhood role. I am a local lad who wanted to be a police officer since the age of six. I carried out work experience whilst at high school with WMP. My passion for policing job hasn’t wavered, nor has my commitment to taking local policing back to what I know communities want in trusted relationships with your officers where we work together to resolve community priorities.
Since joining the Police in 1998 I have worked most of my years in front line roles whether that be as a Police Constable walking the beat of Tipton day and night or leading a 999-response unit as a Sergeant in Walsall.
I have worked in proactive teams, multi-agency settings and led the evolvement of offender management. Prior to being promoted to Inspector I set up what is now a running multi-agency exploitation hub in Walsall focusing on early intervention to those young people most at risk of harm.
In my current role I am responsible for five local policing teams comprising of both PC’s and PCSO’s. I have six Sgts that manage these teams and a deputy coordinator. As part of my role I will also conduct regular duties as 999 response cover.
I am also the chair of a newly formed multi-agency tasking group that brings key partners together to tackle the issues raised by our communities in a collaborative way. I have real hopes for the coming year that this group can really bear fruit for local people.
Having been in role for 12 months it has been great to see crime falling for my neighbourhoods but I feel that the fear of crime has not fallen with it and this is a priority for me.
Through consistent engagement with my community and by working directly with them, and partners, I know this can change and is my personal objective for the next 12 months.
I know that we have so much to do and so many things that could be better, we are by no means in a position I would like to be with crime and each and every incident is one too many.
My policing teams will be holding regular community/councilor meetings and it is there that we will listen and agree ways in which we can help resolve the concerns raised to us.
Crimes and priorities
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Priority:
Action taken:
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Priority:
Community agreed Priority:
Drug related activity taking place at New Hall Street, Lister Street, Stafford Street Walkway, Bell Alley Villers Street, and Stroud Avenue.Action taken:
August 2026
Officers have carried out patrols of areas where drug paraphilia, we have also arrested multiple offenders for having Class A/B drugs with intent to supplySeptember Update.
We have continued to patrol drug use areas, we have been able to seize Class A and it has been destroyed and officers have continued to stop and search individuals known for drug use -
Priority:
ASB - Gough Street and surrounding area
Action taken:
Following reports from residents regarding incidents of ASB in Gough Street and surrounding area we are now working with our partners to tackle this issue. We have already arranged for three CCTV cameras to be installed in the area and will be taking poisitive action against individuals causing a nuidance or committing a crime. Updates on what we have done will be posted on this page.
September Updates.
We have continued to liaise with WHG and will be actioning issues which have been raised to Police and WHG in partnership -
Priority:
Street Drinking in Willenhall Town Centre
We have created a ASB non crime as we have had issues of a group of adults drinking on a bench in the Willenhall Town Centre.
Action taken:
Following reports of groups drinking alcohol and causing issues in Willenhall Town Centre, the team are now focusing on tackling this issue and will be carrying out increased patrols in the area and will be taking positive action against anyone causing a nuisance.
September Update.
We have continued to patrol the town
We have gathered CCTV of the ASB which is occurring and the council are reviewing to see if a public space protection order is needed to tackle further ASB. -
Priority:
Working to ensure Halloween and Bonfire Night celebrations are enjoyed safely and responsibly.
Action taken:
Walsall Police are working with the local authority, key stakeholders and community members to help ensure these celebrations are enjoyed safely and responsibly.
Neighbourhood officers will be out across the borough reassuring communities and preventing any behaviour that could put others at risk.
We will be working with licenced premises to ensure that safe securing of fireworks and appropriate selling is taking place.
Our Prevention Hub officers are working with schools to ensure that educational resources are delivered to schools to educate young people on the importance of staying safe across the period.