Changes to police services at Atherstone
Warwickshire Police is changing the way it delivers its front office services in Atherstone.
On 4 April 2011, the force is teaming up with North Warwickshire Borough Council and Warwickshire County Council to provide front office services via Warwickshire Direct located at the Council offices, South Street, Atherstone.
The move follows successful schemes run in Warwick and Alcester, where police services are being successfully delivered out of Warwickshire Direct facilities by Council staff who are able to deliver a wider range of services to the general public all under one roof.
From April, the police services the public can access at the Warwickshire Direct facility will be crime and incident reporting, lost and found property enquiries, anti-social behaviour and noise nuisance reporting, applications for pedlars certificates and firearms licences, data protection requests, and document production.
Council staff will receive training from experienced police staff before the move takes place and will be given ongoing support.
Supt Adrian McGee, Head of Customer Contact at Warwickshire Police said:
“Warwickshire Police has reviewed all its policing services and the facilities required to support them. This includes front offices at police stations. When we measured the demand for Atherstone front office services we found it only received a daily average of 11 visitors during a day.
“These changes enables us to make better use of our resources and provide a more effective and efficient service to the public. We welcome this opportunity to team up with North Warwickshire Borough Council and Warwickshire County Council to offer this kind of service in Atherstone and feel sure that the local community will benefit.
“The public are reminded that all members of the force remain committed to protecting communities from harm and will not be distracted from this need by the process of change. We will continue to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured in Warwickshire, both on the roads or as a result of crime, and reduce burglary of homes and vehicle crime.
“Warwickshire Police is committed to dealing with every enquiry by delivering the right service, first time and providing local people better access to facilities when they need them most.
The police station in Atherstone will continue to be an operational base for the time being and there will be no reduction in policing in the town as a result of these changes."