Public choose police station front desks to reopen in Cornwall next

Alison Hernandez, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, is planning to open more police station front desks – and wants the public to help decide their locations.

It follows the reopening of the enquiry desks at Truro, Penzance, Newton Abbot and Tiverton this week, with Falmouth and Bude due to reopen in early 2023.

It means people can now report crimes, get advice on crime prevention or victim services and connect policing to local communities face-to-face again.

When not dealing with members of the public in person, police enquiry officers are also able to deal with non-emergency email contacts, reducing pressure on the force’s 101 service.

Sophie Mulrooney (left) and a colleague at the newly reopened Truro Police Station enquiry office (Image: PCC)

Now the Commissioner has detailed a set of criteria for deciding which ones open next, with public support one of the determining factors.

She is asking the public to give feedback in a survey which runs until the new year, over which should be reopened next.

“Early feedback from communities where police enquiry offices have reopened have been extremely positive,” said Ms Hernandez.

“Crimes have been reported, a vulnerable missing person given shelter and assistance and crime prevention information handed out.

“The project has so far created 26 part-time police enquiry jobs and helped ease the pressure on police contact centres by enabling more people to meet an officer or police member of staff in their community.

“I know more communities would like to see their police stations reopened to the public and I am absolutely committed to delivering more openings.

“Public support was a vital component in deciding the first locations for this investment, so now I’m asking people to let me know which stations they would be most likely to use if their front desks were reopened.”

Ian Woods helps oversee the Penzance Police Station front desk back open (Image: PCC)

Anyone wanting to have their say is being asked to choose three preferred locations from a list of 44 police stations in the Devon and Cornwall Police area.

All stations on the survey - which can be completed at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/DYPSW66 and will remain open until midnight on January 2, 2023 - are currently operational and have the potential to have their front desks reopened.

The other criteria which will determine which police enquiry offices reopen are:

• Feasibility– whether the level of investment needed to bring the space back into use is reasonable, whether planning permission is required etc.

• Impact on the station – such as having to relocate a policing team to enable the works.

• Location and distance – geographic location and distance to next nearest open front desk

• Population size – in terms of resident population and anticipated seasonal increases

Details of address and opening hours of the 15 police front desks already open in Devon and Cornwall can be found at www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/contact/police-enquiry-offices/

The police enquiry office in Truro is now open on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10am to 3pm.

Penzance's is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 3pm.