Resort will be the next to get its police station front desk back

Devon and Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez has said she will only support a merger with Dorset's force if the public are behind it. Picture: OPCC (Image: Archant)

With its amazing stretch of sand, stunning clifftop vistas and vibrant town centre, Bude is typical of so many of the coastal resorts we’re blessed with here in Devon and Cornwall.

It is no wonder that so many people from around the country – and indeed the world – are attracted to this gem of the northern coast each summer.

We’re entering the busiest period for tourism, and in the next few weeks the number of people staying in and around Bude will swell to well in excess of its 9,222 permanent residents.

And while tensions will rise as roads, restaurants, bars and holiday lets become filled, the vast majority of tourists and locals will rub along well.

In policing and public service we have a duty to ensure that communities like Bude’s are well supported and have the resources they need to keep them safe. It’s why we worked with the South Western Ambulance Service and Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service to provide a multi-disciplined Tri-Service Safety Officer for Bude three years ago.

And it’s why I decided that Bude should be one of the communities to benefit from the reversal of cuts made more than a decade ago to police enquiry desks. Plans are well under way for civilian officers to work at front desks at Falmouth, Newton Abbot, Penzance, Tiverton and Truro police stations; and Bude’s Police Enquiry Office, in Lansdown Close, will be the sixth to reopen.

I know people across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly really value police stations. They are places of safety where people can report crime, get help and advice on preventing crime and access support services.

The police neighbourhood area of Bude and Stratton has less crime than the rest of the force area, with 46 crimes per 1,000 people recorded in 2021, while the force average was 57. But that is to miss the point that Bude is a relatively isolated community and one where a police station that is open to the public will provide a reassuring presence to the town.

It is vital that when the public visit the front desk they are presented with a professional, friendly and competent police enquiry officers, and on Friday the force began its search for people with the right stuff.

These part time roles represent fantastic opportunities for local residents to make a difference in their communities and will suit those looking for rewarding work.

Bude’s Police Enquiry Office, like the others I have funded to remain open, will be open from 10am to 3pm, six days a week.

The role includes being the first point of contact for reported crimes and police incidents, responding to a wide range of enquiries from the public and other agencies, receiving and recording information and dealing supportively with witnesses, victims and the public.

The reopenings, of course, come at a cost, with £186,000 budgeted in this financial year to fund them. Crucially the service they provide will differ from that provided by police enquiry offices before they closed. Technology means enquiry officers will be able to answer people’s messages and calls for assistance to the wider Devon and Cornwall Police non emergency service, so we all benefit from improved contact with the force.

The role of a Police Enquiry Officer is typical of one of those staff jobs that are on the front line of policing, enabling the officers to do more and to be more accessible. As I write recruitment is also open for a vacancy in the new £29m Exeter Police Station front desk.

So if you or someone you know is interested in a job that makes a real difference to a community, why not check out the benefits job description and details of how to apply at https://recruitment-dcp-dp.org/jobs/.