Okehampton Police Station opens to public

People in Okehampton can now report crime in person or just ask for help at a newly-opened Police Enquiry Office.

Members of the public will have access to the walk-in service where they can speak to trained staff who can help with crime reporting, crime prevention advice and help with accessing victim services.

The Police Enquiry Office will initially be open Monday to Thursday, 10am to 3pm and will be open six days a week soon. 

It follows my successful opening of several front desks across the region.

“The community of Okehampton will now be able to access policing closer to home when needing to report a crime or ask for advice.

“Our police enquiry officers will work with colleagues in the control rooms by handling non-emergency contact from the public and providing the local community with another contact option, which will improve the convenience of contacting the police and strengthen the service we offer.”

Police enquiry offices in Kingsbridge, Ilfracombe and Honiton are scheduled to open before March 2024 as part of my programme, which will see an additional 18 PEOs opened in total, bringing the total number of police station front desks open to the public across Devon and Cornwall to 27 by 2025

Need for bat survey delays Commissioner’s police station plan

My plan to reopen Police Enquiry Offices around two counties has suffered a setback because bats may be roosting at a seaside site.

I have already reopened 13 Police Enquiry Offices across my force area in what is believed to be the largest investment of its type. 

A further five are due to be reopened to the public, one of which, in the seaside town of Exmouth, is due to be entirely rebuilt in a £5m project.

Last month my estates team submitted a planning application for the project to replace the aging station and reintroduce a new Police Enquiry Office. But because bats may be roosting on the site East Devon District Council planners have asked for a summertime survey before they can register the application.

My team are now working with the local authority to progress the application.

 “I am disappointed for the people of Exmouth, and Devon and Cornwall Police’s hard-working officers, staff and volunteers, who have to wait longer to get the police station and Police Enquiry Office which they deserve.

“Devon and Cornwall are full of wonderful nature and that is part of life here. We will, of course, ensure that all appropriate steps are taken to look after any bats and other wildlife found on the site, but Exmouth sees a huge rise in visitor numbers in the summer months and I look forward to a time when we and our force are focussed on our core business of supporting victims rather than surveying bats.”

My force area has more domestic visitors than any other police force area, therefore I have been lobbying Government to recognise the effect of tourism in the police funding formula as currently forces only receive funding based on permanent resident levels.

Three arrested after drugs raids

I was joined by Avon and Somerset’s Commissioner Mark Shelford for a dawn raid on a home in Exeter on Wednesday. The home, and another in Torquay, had been linked to county lines drug dealing connecting London with the Westcountry. Three teenagers from Devon were arrested in relation to suspected class A drug supply, human trafficking and child exploitation offences. As well as the arrests, drugs phones, cash, weapons, and other items were seized during searches of properties. A further man was arrested in London as part of the operation. It comes following months of intelligence collected by Avon and Somerset Police's County Lines team. They tracked a suspected drug operation which was believed to be importing crack cocaine and heroin into the area and exploiting children to move drugs around the region. Avon and Somerset's Commissioner Mark Shelford and I, and three others in the region with their respective forces, are collaborating to make the South West a hostile environment for drug dealing.