Staffordshire police officers moving in council offices to improve community links
Police officers in South Staffordshire are set to relocate from their post near Cannock seven miles away to council offices near Wolverhampton - in a bid to be more accessible to the public.
The bobbies will be based at the Council Offices Codsall, in Wolverhampton Road, from this Monday - moving from Watling Street police station.
Bosses think the move will make it easier for people to meet them face to face.
'Public can be reassured by police officer move'
Chief Inspector Mark Ward, the local neighbourhood commander for South Staffordshire, said: "The neighbourhood team will move to Codsall from their current base at Watling Street, which will be more beneficial as it moves us in with our partners for closer working opportunities."
"Watling Street hasn’t been open to the public for some time, but our new post in Codsall will mean communities can be reassured the links, relationships and face to face contact with local police will be maintained."
It was announced back in January that the Watling Street police station would be closed down, among several others across the county. The decision meant 38 jobs across Staffordshire Police were axed.
Only Cannock, Burton and Longton front desks remained open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Investment in village policing
The move from Watling Street to Wolverhampton Road is part of the force’s commitment to invest in neighbourhood policing and will include local officers and PSCOs covering Wombourne, Kinver, Essington, Codsall, Featherstone, Penkridge and Huntington Wheaton Aston, Cheslyn Hay, Perton and Pattington areas.
Watling Street will remain open for custody facilities in the south of the county.
Staffordshire Police has recently increased the number of officers working locally in communities as part of an increased neighbourhood policing presence across the county
The force is also developing more online access to services and improving telephone contact to make it easier and more convenient for the public to get in touch and report minor crimes on line.
Earlier this year, Staffordshire’s Commissioner for Police, Fire and Rescue and Crime, Matthew Ellis, announced plans to sell off a number of disused police stations, including Wombourne, which is also based in South Staffordshire.
Local officers covering Wombourne will retain a presence in the local community with a base at Wombourne Civic Centre.
The force also recently announced changes to the arrangements for police front counters and in future the public will be able to visit stations in Cannock, Burton and Stoke, which provide good levels of accessibility to people across the county.
Evidence shows that the number of visitors using police front counters has dropped steadily over the past few years, with people choosing instead to meet local officers at community locations or contact police in other ways such as by the non-emergency 101 number or online.
