Police reassure residents after front desk closure announced (From Salisbury Journal)

Ringwood police station office to be replaced by 101 service

6:40pm Friday 10th February 2012 in News By Miranda Robertson

RINGWOOD police station will close its front office on March 30.

But officers have spoken out to reassure the public the move won’t leave them more vulnerable to crime.

Sector Inspector Simon Tribe said: “Residents should be reassured that we are not leaving the town and will continue to operate from the station.

“We are, though, exploring opportunities to be even more accessible to the public by operating from other locations within the wider Ringwood area, utilising council offices, libraries or local supermarkets.

“Safer Neighbourhoods officers will continue to patrol their beats and police their communities and will be available for discussions and advice during beat surgeries and at other community meetings. There will also be an emergency response team available in the area 24/7 to deal with more serious incidents.

“The station closure is a direct result of the current financial climate.”

Between January and October 2011, Hampshire Constabulary carried out an in-depth review of how the public use police station front offices. The review included public consultation, examining the numbers of people visiting front offices and demand for services, assessing the risks and threats associated with closures or reductions in opening hours, and exploring the appetite for alternative ways for people to contact the force through new online and telephone technology.

The public can now phone 101 to report a crime or get an update, access help and advice, leave a message, or schedule a meeting with an officer in their own home.

In the near future people will also be able to report crime online and track the progress of inquiries without having to contact the investigating officer.

Insp Tribe added: “We are developing more ways of contacting the force and accessing police services. The consultation with the public on how they wish to interact with us has shown a clear shift towards online self-service options as well as interaction with officers in the community.”

Each area of the New Forest has its own Safer Neighbourhoods team, for which details are online at hampshire.police.uk.