Four police station front desks reopening in Devon and Cornwall

PCC Alison Hernandez said she hoped more front desks will reopen

Four police station front desks are to reopen in Devon and Cornwall by the end of the year.

The police and crime commissioner (PCC) said offices in Tiverton, Penzance, Newton Abbot and Falmouth would open by December.

The office in Newquay will also remain open permanently, having been open on a temporary basis since 2020.

PCC Alison Hernandez said: "It shows that our police stand side by side with our communities in tackling crime."

She added: "Police stations offer a place of refuge for victims and a point of contact between the police and the public they serve.

"They are hugely reassuring for many people, enabling crimes to be reported, victims to be protected and information to flow freely between the force and the public it serves."

In 2014, Tiverton, Penzance, Newton Abbot and Falmouth front desks were among those closed as part of cost saving measures.

The offices will be staffed from Monday to Saturday, from 10:00 to 15:00.

Newton Abbot is among the front desks to be reopening

The force's nine front desks which are already open will also have their opening hours extended from 08:00 to 18:00 on the same days.

It is estimated that the cost of the additional openings will be about £186,000 in 2022/2023, with the possibility of reopening more front desks in the following financial years.

Devon and Cornwall Police Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer said: "During the pandemic we saw a significant increase in the number of people using our website and calling 101.

"However, there are many people who continue to see the value in face-to-face contact within the reassuring setting of a police station.

"I am pleased that we will be continuing to explore further options of increasing our access through call centres and other digital mediums, as well as the exciting potential to open more front desks in the years to come."