Your IAG for the Trowbridge, Melksham and Bradford-on-Avon Area
Welcome to the West Area Independent Advisory Group
Hello, my name is Nick Westbrook and I chair the West Independent Advisory Group (IAG)
We cover the western Wiltshire market towns and surrounding rural villages within the Trowbridge Neighbourhood Policing Teams supporting the communities of Bradford on Avon, Melksham and Trowbridge.
What's changing?
In June 2021 we made some changes to the IAGs to align better with our Neighbourhood Policing Team boundaries.
- Trowbridge, Melksham, Bradford-on-Avon remain in the West IAG.
- Westbury, Tisbury, Mere and Warminster have moved from West IAG and have joined Devizes and Marlborough under Central IAG
- Salisbury and Amesbury are merged in the South IAG
This will provide an opportunity to strengthen the existing relationships between the police and community as our IAG chairs will have a single point of contact in their local Inspector.
What's not changing?
All operational policing remains the same and there will be no disruption to the way you can access or receive police services and support. You will receive the same service from your local officers, no matter which Neighbourhood Policing Team or IAG area you are in.
Welcoming new members
We are always looking to welcome new blood into our team of volunteers. We are particularly keen to hear from interested people living or working in the southern part of our area. Please click the link below to complete a short application form if you are interested in coming on board.
We aim to identify ways to make policing better for all. During the year, we have covered a wide range of topics:
- critical events
- stop-and-search
- 101 Call Centre
- domestic abuse
- anti-social behaviour
- county lines (drugs)
- hate crime
- Speedwatch
- use of Tasers
- the local police response to managing COVID-19
We do not handle complaints or individual cases. For the past three years, volunteer members of the Independent Advisory Groups (IAGs) covering Wiltshire and Swindon have been acting as 'critical friends' to constructively advise and challenge Wiltshire Police about how police policies, procedures and activities impact on the diverse communities we live in and how the Force can do better.
Our West Area IAG is a very diverse group. We meet regularly every couple of months - 'virtually' over the past few months.
In 2021 we will be revisiting Stop-and-Search, Use of Force, County Lines and Community Engagement, as well as receiving updates on local policing issues from our local Police Inspector Gill Hughes
Join the IAG
Please click on the link below to the application form.
If you are interested joining and have any questions before completing the application form, please get in touch at [email protected]
Independent Advisory Groups, known as IAGs, were created to challenge conventional thinking, give an independent perspective on issues and to work as genuine partners with the police to improve policing, with a particular focus on diversity and the protected characteristics as covered by the Equality Act 2000:
| Age | Disability | Gender Reassignment |
| Marriage and Civil Partnership | Pregnancy and Maternity | Race |
| Religion and Belief | Sex | Sexual Orientation |
The main role is to act as a 'critical friend' to the Police. Unlike other, more formal, groups that advise the police - such as scrutiny panels - IAGs do not offer expert or specialist advice, but exist simply to understand the viewpoints of its members.
IAGs are not made up of councillors, magistrates, politicians or other interested parties, but by ordinary members of the public with a keen interest in policing in their local area.
There are seven IAGs representing their local area across Wiltshire and Swindon and they meet up on a regular basis to advise and offer ideas to police forces on the wide range of activities that go into policing.
We also have a specific IAG focussed on Diverse Communities and issues relating to policing, diversity and inclusion - for more information on this group please visit the Diverse Communities IAG page
As critical friends, IAG members constructively advise and challenge Wiltshire Police on policies, procedures and practices and advise the Force on how to do better.
Specific tasks might involve a critical assessment of an operation, policy or incident. The aim is always to identify ways to make policing better for all.
As a member of an IAG, your input will help us to be more effective, to engage better with our public, and respond better to the needs of the community.
Our Diverse Communities IAG represents people from all ethnic minority backgrounds who live or work in Wiltshire or Swindon.