Central Motorway Police Group


The Central Motorway Police Group is a co-operative operation between two police forces in the West Midlands of England. Officers from the two forces involved – Staffordshire Police, and West Midlands Police – provide a dedicated policing service on several hundred miles of the motorway network in the Staffordshire and West Midlands police areas.
The radio control room is based at Quinton working with Highways England,
and central vehicle depot is located adjacent to the M6 at Perry Barr in Birmingham where Thornbridge Avenue passes under the motorway. The depot has direct access onto both the northbound and southbound carriageways of the motorway allowing police vehicles to respond faster to incidents.
In June 2008 Merseyside Police, Lancashire Constabulary and Cheshire Constabulary established the North West Motorway Police Group covering the motorways in their respective areas following the success of the CMPG. Greater Manchester Police joined the group in 2011. However, in 2018, Lancashire Constabulary announced that they would be withdrawing from the group.

History

The CMPG was first formed in 1990, when West Mercia Constabulary, now known as West Mercia Police and West Midlands Police formed a partnership to police approximately of motorway in Birmingham, the West Midlands and North Worcestershire. Staffordshire Police and Warwickshire Police joined the partnership in 2001, bringing the motorway sections in those counties within the Group's area of responsibility, while West Mercia increased its input.
Warwickshire withdrew from the CMPG in April 2007 and West Mercia announced their intention to withdraw in July 2017, partly due to the Strategic Alliance they have with Warwickshire.
West Mercia Police withdrew from CMPG at 07:00 on Sunday 8 April 2018.

Responsibilities

Currently, the CMPG has responsibility for:
CMPG Patrol Bases: