NEWTON Abbot police station is one of four the Police and Crime Commissioner plans to reopen.

Alison Hernandez, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, has today (Monday)  revealed plans to reopen four more police station front desks by the end of the year, including some closed under austerity measures a decade ago.

The plans were approved by Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer and the PCC at a meeting of the Devon and Cornwall Police resources board.

The offices will be staffed by Police Enquiry Officers from Monday to Saturday, from 10am to 3pm, while the existing nine operated by the force will operate extended opening hours of 8am to 6pm on the same days.

Officers staffing the offices will be able to support the 101 contact centre too when not dealing with people person.

It is estimated that the cost of the additional openings will be about £186,000 in 2022/23, with the Commissioner and force are exploring opportunities to reopen more front desks in the following financial years.

Alison Hernandez said: ‘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.

‘I have been very vocal about the public’s desire to see some of these front offices reopened, and the importance of establishing greater communication and understanding between the force and residents, so am really pleased to see progress on this landmark project.’