West Midlands Police are expanding their pioneering pilot scheme to provide better support for domestic abuse victims through the Raneem’s Law initiative. This program embeds independent domestic abuse specialists directly into 999 emergency call control rooms, aiming to improve risk assessment and accelerate early interventions.
Raneem’s Law is named in memory of Raneem Oudeh and her mother, Khaola Saleem, who were tragically murdered by Raneem’s ex-partner in 2018. The law transforms how emergency domestic abuse calls are handled by placing expert advisors alongside police call handlers to ensure victims receive specialized and compassionate support from the first point of contact.
The force completed the initial pilot phase from March 2025 to March 2026, working closely with Coventry Haven Women’s Aid and Birmingham & Solihull Women’s Aid. During this period, nearly 5,000 domestic abuse-related calls were reviewed by dedicated specialists embedded in the control room during weekday business hours.
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At a recent West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner meeting, Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Jen Mattinson announced Home Office funding of £440,820 for Phase Two, allowing the program to expand significantly. Phase One involved one specialist per shift, focusing Monday through Thursday, and helped establish best practices in the contact centre.
Phase One’s outcomes included a notable increase in the use of inclusive and supportive language, more thorough initial intelligence checks, and better identification of risk markers for escalation. However, limited staffing meant only 11 percent of domestic abuse calls were reviewed during this phase.
With the additional Home Office funding, Phase Two will increase staffing from one to two or three specialists per shift and extend coverage hours to 8 am to 10 pm, seven days a week. Recruitment is underway to meet these goals. Early results from Phase Two are promising, with the proportion of reviewed domestic abuse calls rising from 11 percent to 17 percent in just two months.
This expanded pilot represents a significant step toward providing comprehensive and timely support for victims of domestic abuse in the West Midlands, demonstrating a commitment to transforming emergency responses to better protect vulnerable individuals.