Rutland will be the only county in England not to have a police station.
Leicestershire Police Force’s front counter service in Oakham will
relocate to Rutland County Council from 7th January 2015
allowing residents to access police and local authority services in one shared location.
The change, which was announced last year, will see the police enquiry desk move from its current location on Station Road to the Council’s Catmose offices.
Residents can continue to access a full range of police services at the new location, such as reporting crimes and handing in lost property, and there will be no change to the availability of council services as a result of the move.
The police reception service at Catmose will be open Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm. The Council’s Customer Service Team will continue to provide assistance to residents between the hours of 8.30am to 5pm (4.30pm Fridays).
There will be a private room in the council reception area for anyone wishing to talk to the police in confidence.
A phone will also be installed on the outside of the council building so that people can contact police when the offices are closed.
Oakham Police Station will be closed to members of the public following the move however officers will continue to be based there, eventually moving to a smaller building currently under construction in the station car park.
The changes were agreed in October 2013 after Leicestershire Police reviewed data that shows fewer people are visiting police stations. As a result, the force has realigned its front counter enquiry service across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to better match demand.
The relocation of police reception services to within Rutland County Council will also benefit members of the public by allowing them to access police and council services in a single location.
Inspector Louise Cordiner, commander of Rutland Local Policing Unit, said:
“The new joint service, together with our new police station, is a commitment to a continuing police presence in Oakham and Rutland.
“In addition to the counter service, members of the public can still access the police through phone, email, social media, web chats and beat surgeries.”
Roger Begy, Leader of Rutland County Council, said:
“Having Oakham’s police inquiry desk here at the Council makes perfect sense and is a move we’re sure residents will welcome. We know that local people value the visible police presence in Oakham and sharing a reception area will also offer added convenience for those who need to access both police and council services.”
