THREE of the Wiltshire police station enquiry offices closed last year are to be reopened.
The offices at Devizes, Chippenham and Marlborough were shut in October 2007, leaving just three police stations open to the public - Swindon's Gablecross, Melksham and Salisbury.
But Wiltshire police has now reviewed the decision and decided that the offices in Marlborough, Trowbridge and Chippenham should be brought back into use.
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There has been no change of heart concerning the offices at Malmesbury, Corsham, Wootton Bassett, Calne and Pewsey offices, which were all closed in 2006.
Chief Constable Brian Moore said: "While the business case for closing the enquiry offices was sound, and Wiltshire Police will not waste public funds on unnecessary areas of our service, public satisfaction with the service this force provides is one of our highest priorities.
"In order to better meet the needs of the public and ensure satisfaction with our service, it is clear that we do need to re-open enquiry offices in some locations.
"Therefore I have decided, with the support of the Police Authority and Wiltshire County Council, that a full enquiry office service be resumed at Chippenham and Trowbridge, and a limited enquiry office capacity resumed in Marlborough.
"Much more detail must now be worked through before we are able to confirm the exact dates that the enquiry offices at Trowbridge, Chippenham and Marlborough will be re-opened, but they should be in place by early summer.
"The savings made from the original decision to close the enquiry offices have already been reinvested into protecting our communities from serious and organised crime.
"However, Wiltshire Police is very grateful to Wiltshire County Council, which has been very supportive in the provision of these enhanced public enquiry office services."
Police Authority chairman Christopher Hoare said: "The initial decision was always intended to be subject to review. Police Authority members have been part of that review and fully endorse the decision.
"We have been acutely aware of the public's desire to access their police stations. This decision means that by June 2008 every part of the county will be within easy reach of an enquiry office that is open during hours convenient to the public.
"Meanwhile, all police stations will remain open for operational police business as usual."
Posted by: logical, Swindon on 7:42am Mon 17 Mar 08
Police access over the last few years has got worse. You rarely see a police man/woman in public anymore - unless they are manning speed traps.
Having said that I actually saw a police car in Highworth last week! First time in weeks.
Police access over the last few years has got worse. You rarely see a police man/woman in public anymore - unless they are manning speed traps.
Having said that I actually saw a police car in Highworth last week! First time in weeks.
This is astonishing.
Are we expected to believe that supposedly professional people thought, for one minute, they may be better able to serve and protect the public by [italic]closing[/italic] 70% of all the police stations in the area?!?
This is astonishing.
Are we expected to believe that supposedly professional people thought, for one minute, they may be better able to serve and protect the public by closing 70% of all the police stations in the area?!?
Posted by: Robert Feal-Martinez, Swindon on 10:17am Mon 17 Mar 08
It is a sad reflection of this once great institution that the Chief Constable uses terms like:
[bold]"While the business case for closing the enquiry offices was sound, and Wiltshire Police will not waste public funds on unnecessary areas of our service, public satisfaction with the service this force provides is one of our highest priorities.[/bold] The service the public wants is to be able to speak to a police officer, not a call centre operator whose prime task is to prevent as many calls from being accepted as possible.
It is a sad reflection of this once great institution that the Chief Constable uses terms like: "While the business case for closing the enquiry offices was sound, and Wiltshire Police will not waste public funds on unnecessary areas of our service, public satisfaction with the service this force provides is one of our highest priorities. The service the public wants is to be able to speak to a police officer, not a call centre operator whose prime task is to prevent as many calls from being accepted as possible.
Posted by: Captain Sensible, Near Swindon on 3:13pm Mon 17 Mar 08
I wasn't aware that Policing was a 'business', I thought it was a 'service'. Maybe thats why we are importing all these foreign criminals, obviously the more of them there are, the more money this 'business' makes!?
I wasn't aware that Policing was a 'business', I thought it was a 'service'. Maybe thats why we are importing all these foreign criminals, obviously the more of them there are, the more money this 'business' makes!?
Posted by: ScentCybil, Swindon on 5:12pm Mon 17 Mar 08
Police need to re-connect with a long suffering public. Reopening half a dozen offices is insufficient. Get real police onto the streets, use mountain bikes, talk to people. Pension off the useless Blunkett Bobbies. Get back to fundamentals.
Police need to re-connect with a long suffering public. Reopening half a dozen offices is insufficient. Get real police onto the streets, use mountain bikes, talk to people. Pension off the useless Blunkett Bobbies. Get back to fundamentals.
Posted by: J Stratton, Wootton Bassett on 7:10pm Mon 17 Mar 08
This change of heart is no use to us in Wootton Bassett (or the other market towns of North Wiltshire). Despite valiant efforts from the Community Police a call centre just doesn't make up for a real person at a desk.
This change of heart is no use to us in Wootton Bassett (or the other market towns of North Wiltshire). Despite valiant efforts from the Community Police a call centre just doesn't make up for a real person at a desk.
Posted by: Grumpy, Swindon on 10:28pm Mon 17 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Casual Observer[/bold] wrote:
I saw two actual real policemen [italic]on patrol[/italic] in the town center on Saturday. I was so surprised I took a photo of this rare event.[/quote] Nah!!!!! Don't believe that - you've been dreaming again.
Casual Observer wrote:
I saw two actual real policemen on patrol in the town center on Saturday. I was so surprised I took a photo of this rare event.
Nah!!!!! Don't believe that - you've been dreaming again.
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