Honiton’s Police Station front desk to reopen

The enquiry desk in Honiton's Police Station will reopen in 2023. 

The county's Police and Crime Commissioner, Alison Hernandez, has announced that a total of 6 front desks will be reopened across Devon and Cornwall over the next 12 months

The six locations, which are part of Hernandez's project to see stations have their Policy Enquiry Offices (PE) reopened, include Honiton, Devonport, Looe, Illfracombe, Okehampton and Kingsbridge. So far £1.5 million has been allocated to the project, which will also see Exmouth's Police Station undergo refurbishment. 

A total of 17 front desks are being reopened, taking the total number of PEOs across the force area to 26. 

Devon and Cornwall Police Force closed a number of desks in 2014 due to public sector cuts and only last year it was announced there were no plans to reopen Honiton's desk. 

Across Devon and Cornwall 11 stations closed their offices, although the stations remained open as operational bases for staff. 

A map of stations that are due to have their front desks reopened (Credit: Devon and Cornwall Police)

Today and tomorrow (March 10 and 11) will see the Commissioner and CC Kerr officially reopen the PEOs in Tiverton, Newton Abbot, Penzance, Falmouth, Truro and Bude. 

Commissioner Hernandez has made connecting with members of the public a key element of her policies, believing that face-to-face contact helps build confidence in the police as well as support victims.

She said: "Thanks to investment from our residents Devon and Cornwall Police now has record police officer numbers. Having accessible police stations close to our communities is the missing part of the jigsaw in providing the neighbourhood model of policing that the Chief Constable and I support. 

"Although we experience some of the lowest crime levels in the country, drugs and antisocial behaviour are considerable issues for our communities. We want people to feel confident in telling us about the problems and challenges they experience before these issues escalate so preventative action can be taken. 

Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez outside Newton Abbot Police Station – one of those to reopen its front desk (Credit: Devon and Cornwall Police)

"Already crimes including non-recent historic offences have been reported at one of our reopened police enquiry desks, demonstrating that some people prefer talking to an officer in confidence and in person." 

"There is an immediate positive effect of having these stations back open to the public for these communities," the Commissioner added. "But this is more than that – it's about making a long-term commitment to the people of Devon and Cornwall. We want to let them know that the police are by their side, accessible and care about their problems."  

Devon and Cornwall do have comparatively low crime rates compared to other parts of the UK. However, the county receives the highest number of domestic tourists of any UK county, meaning our services can be put under pressure, especially in the summer months. 

Chief Constable Will Kerr said: "I am delighted we are able to reopen these offices. I believe that providing the public with opportunities to speak to the police face-to-face is essential to building trust and confidence in our communities.

"Public enquiry offices are incredibly important – they increase our accessibility, provide reassurance and help in building trust in our communities."

Twenty four new police enquiry officer posts have been created this year and more staff will be recruited as stations are reopened.

The stations will be open six days a week. 

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